UsaMamo Stories
by Raya Light
Summary: Short stories centered on Mamoru and or Usagi. See individual chapters for ratings. Mainly K, but can reach PG-13 or T. Rated high to be safe. Bundles: 1-21, 22-27, 28-55.
1. Gone But Not Forgotten

2/1/06

Title: Gone But Not Forgotten  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Stars  
Genre: Romance / General  
Version: Manga (Post StarS)  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: All central characters were created by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely converted them into paper cutouts for a while.

Gone But Not Forgotten

Mamoru smiled as Usagi sank gracefully down into one of his dining room chairs with an appreciative sigh. He watched her examine the table with curious, delighted eyes. The light from the tall white candlesticks reflected gently from the gleaming crystal and cutlery, sending splashes of light across the pristine white table cloth and her high school uniform. As he sat down in his own chair, she turned those shining azure eyes towards him. 

"I feel under dressed," she laughed a little nervously as she brushed her left hand down her uniform. The heart shaped engagement ring he had given her months before glittered in the light. "What's the special occasion? Did I forget something?"

He shook his dark head, still smiling. "Can't I spoil you once in a while?" he asked teasingly. Never would he admit that her friends had asked him to do this. In fact, the fancy table setting had been Minako's idea, although Makoto had provided most of the items. They had decided that Usagi needed some distraction from her sadness, and Mamoru agreed with them.

Reading between the lines during the past month, he had been able to learn that she and Princess Kakyuu of Kinmoku had become good friends when they had allied to fight Galaxia. Although he had never met the foreign Princess, from Usagi's description the two young women had had a lot in common, not the least of which was the burden of being the ruler and most powerful warrior of their respective kingdoms. It was so like his fianceé to miss a friend who had returned home, even if they had only been friends for a very short while.

Usagi smiled at his joke. "Of course you can, Mamo-chan, but this..." she replied as she waved a small hand to indicate the table. "This is so unexpected." He merely smiled, and lifted the lid off of one of the covered dishes. Immediately, the smell of sukiyaki began to fill the apartment. Quickly, they served themselves, and began to eat.

Throughout dinner, Mamoru kept the conversation light. He encouraged Usagi to talk about her day, Minako's latest boy hunt, Makoto's latest culinary creation, Rei's upcoming temple festival, and Ami's advice on how to survive history without falling asleep. He asked her about Luna, and learned to his surprise that she was taking on-line college courses for a paralegal degree which Usagi found to be very amusing. Talking about Luna made Usagi think to ask Mamoru about his own day, so he told her a few amusing stories about some of his college friends.

Finally, Usagi sat back with a satiated sigh. "That was so good." She blinked at a sudden thought. "Did you make that?"

Laughing, he shook his head. "No. I thought about it, but I didn't have the time. That came from the little restaurant down the street."

"The one with the bamboo etched glass door?" she asked curiously, and then smiled when he nodded. "I always wondered what their food tasted like. They have such neat decor in there." She stopped in surprise when Mamoru stood up and walked around the table into the living area. "Mamo-chan?"

"Actually, there was a reason I wanted to make this dinner special," he admitted as he pulled a medium sized package off of the book shelf and came back to her. Her eyes widened when she saw that it was wrapped with a moon and stars wrapping paper. She gave him a puzzled look as he handed her the gift.

"My birthday isn't until June," she said uncertainly. She was sure that after two years he knew that. "And Christmas was last month."

He shook his head in amusement. "I know that. Open it."

Still puzzled, she ripped open the paper and drew out a velvet jeweler's box. Her eyes flew up to him and then back to the box. Slowly, she opened it, and then gasped in amazement.

Inside the box lay a jewelry set: necklace, earrings, and bracelet. From each piece, golden starbursts dangled, each surrounded by three tiny stones each dangling from their own thread. The stones were green, blue, and red. Gently, she reached out to touch one of the earrings. "Oh, Mamo-chan," she breathed.

"Do you like them?" he asked a little nervously.

"They're beautiful..." she breathed as she tore her eyes off of the jewelry to look up at him. "Where...? Why...?"

He smiled as he took the box out of her hands and quickly extracted the necklace. "A small reminder," he said gently as he put it around her neck. "Maybe it will make the distance seem a little less."

Her eyes widened as she reached up to touch the starburst, and then they filled with tears. "Oh, Mamo-chan..." She jumped up from her chair and threw her arms around him. "Thank you! Thank you!" And as he wrapped her in his arms and kissed her, he rejoiced in the fact that his star was shining brightly once more.


	2. A Time For Help

2/2/06

Title: A Time For Help  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Arrogance  
Genre: General / Humor  
Version: Manga (post StarS / pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: All central characters were created by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely converted them into paper cutouts to play with for a while.

A Time For Help

Usagi lay on the couch and stared at her sleeping husband with exasperated eyes. It had only been two weeks since she had given birth to their long awaited daughter, and one week since a serious bladder infection had necessitated her taking a strong antibiotic. In that time, Mamoru had assumed the primary care of ChibiUsa and Usagi in addition to a reduced but still significant work schedule at the hospital. Unfortunately, ChibiUsa was still not yet sleeping through the night and Usagi was strictly limited in what she could do, so what rest he got was fitful. The dark shadows under his eyes and the exhausted look on his face were mute testimonies that the toll was finally beginning to catch up to him.

Her eyes softened, just a little, as they drifted over his face, down to the bottle in his hand, and then to the bassinet beside his chair. Sometimes, his arrogant assumption that he could do anything and everything made her want to shake her head even as it thrilled her. She loved that part of him, depended on it even. It made her feel safe and secure as well as loved. But, enough was enough.

Slowly, clenching her jaw against the pain, she sat up and turned to put her feet on the floor. She paused to catch her breath, trying very hard not to whimper or pant. She knew that even though he was asleep, his sharp ears would catch it and he would wake instantly. When she felt ready, she slowly eased herself up to her feet and carefully made her way into their bedroom. She pushed the door until it was almost shut.

'_Hmmm... Who can I call?_' she wondered as she picked up the phone beside the bed. '_Mako-san's probably already left for the evening shift, and I think Ami-san's working afternoons, too. Rei-san's probably not done with her shrine duties yet, and Minako-san... Does she have a date tonight? I can't remember. Mama and Papa have that awards dinner tonight, and Shingo..._' She stared at the clock and pondered her options. Abruptly, she realized that it was almost four o'clock, and that ChibiUsa would be waking soon for a feeding. Making an sudden decision, she began to dial a number.

"Hello?"

"Hi Minako-san," Usagi replied quietly with a glance towards the door. "Um..."

"Usagi-chan! Hi! What's up? Everything all right?" Minako asked brightly.

"Yeah, I'm fine except for these stupid stitches," she replied as she raised a hand to her abdomen. "Hey, are you free tonight?"

Minako paused for a long moment before replying. "I should be, why?"

"I was wondering if you could come over and help me with ChibiUsa-chan for a little bit. I'm still not supposed to lift her or anything. We could have Chinese take out for dinner, and maybe watch a movie."

"Mmm, Chinese. That sounds pretty good. But, I thought Mamoru-san was there?"

"He didn't get much sleep last night, and then he had to go in for a surgery today. I thought..."

"If someone else is there to help, maybe he could catch up a little?" Minako asked shrewdly. "He's still determined to try and do it all, isn't he?"

"Mmm..." Usagi replied noncommittally.

"Silly man. You'd think he'd learn. I'll be right over," her friend replied. "I wouldn't want him accidentally dropping ChibiUsa-chan or poisoning you two or something." Usagi smiled. "See you soon!"

"Thanks, Minako-san! See you!" Quietly, she hung up the phone and put it back down on the nightstand. Yes, her husband of six years could be quite arrogant and independent, but she still remembered how to call for help when it was needed. When Minako arrived, he would have no choice but to give up and do things her way for a little while. Usagi's smile widened at the thought as she slowly made her way to the couch once more.


	3. Disaster Averted

2/3/06

Title: Disaster Averted  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Fashion Disaster  
Genre: Humor  
Version: Manga (post StarS / pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: All central characters were created by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely converted them into paper dolls to play with for a while.

Disaster Averted

Tamaki looked up as the bells above the boutique door jangled merrily. "Welcome to our store," she called out as she stepped out from behind the counter. She paused uncertainly as she studied the small group of girls in front of her. Four of them wore school uniforms she recognized as belonging to one of the local high schools. The problem was, the fifth was wearing a school uniform as well, and none of them looked to be more than fifteen or sixteen years old. "May... May I help you girls with something?" she asked uncertainly.

"I hope so," the dark haired one muttered with an irritable glance at the two blondes. The slightly smaller one flashed her a return glare, and then turned to answer the sales person.

"I am looking for a wedding dress," she said a little defensively.

Tamaki's eyes widened, and then she smiled a little patronizingly. "Oh, please feel free to look around. I'm afraid I can't let you try on anything, though."

The other blonde rolled her eyes. "Now how is she supposed to know if she likes it if she can't see it on. Honestly, isn't there a helpful sales person out there any more?"

"Minako-chan," her smaller friend exclaimed softly, trying to shush her friend.

"No, Usagi-chan, I'm serious. We only have two months, one week, three days, and twelve hours left to find you the perfect dress! But, every shop we step into says the same thing: 'Sorry, you can look but that's all.'. We're not kids. Do we look like we're just browsing?"

"Oh, hush Minako-chan and start looking," the tallest girl in the group said as she began to look through a row of dresses. Minako glared at her a second, and then sighed and walked to another rack.

"Actually," Usagi said as she sidled closer to Tamaki, "I'm looking for something lacy. Lots and lots of lace." Behind her, the dark haired girl rolled her eyes.

Tamaki was still doubtful about their seriousness. Young girls liked to stop in all the time to play with the dresses. Usagi, in particular, seemed too young to be getting married. Since the store was quiet, however, she decided to humor them. "Lace? Oh, I have just the thing for you," she said as she hustled to the back of the store. Minutes later, she returned with a long, white gown that was layered with frothy lace. Usagi and Minako ooo-ed in delight as they rushed forward to inspect it. Their other three friends just eyed it with varying degrees of distaste and dismay.

"Can I try it on?" Usagi begged, turning her azure eyes up to Tamaki's green ones. "Plea-ea-ease?"

"Well... Oh, okay. Sure," she replied as she turned to lead her to a changing room. 'What harm could it do,' she thought to herself. "Come this way, please."

"She'll look ridiculous in that," Rei grumbled as she walked to a rack of bridesmaid dresses and began to flip through it.

"She will not," Minako said defensively. "Besides, you know how much she loves lace. You could at least humor her a bit." Rei just shook her head and continued to look through the selection.

A few minutes later, Tamaki called them back to the display area. "Okay, I'm going to bring her out now. Be sure to tell her how beautiful she looks," she said with a bright smile. A moment later, Usagi walked towards her friends. The wedding dress belled around her, full skirts held out by a wire hoop. The layers of lace rustled against each other with every movement.

She studied their faces anxiously, and her heart began to sink at the expressions of dismay she saw. It sank even lower as Ami tried to shift to hide behind Minako. "And now, the crowning touch," Tamaki said as she placed a lace veil on Usagi's head. Rei snorted, immediately drawing Usagi's attention.

Before she could say anything, Makoto spoke up. "You... You look like a giant wedding cake," she said sounding shocked. Startled, Usagi turned to look in the mirror for the first time. Her eyes widened, and she had to admit that Makoto was right. She certainly did look like a tiered wedding cake. That, or a white water fountain.

"It... It's not so bad," Minako said defensively as she stepped closer to Usagi and began to straighten the layers of lace. "It's... It's very lacy, just like you wanted." Her fidgeting slowed to a stop, and then she sighed. "Rei-chan's right. It looks ridiculous," she admitted softly.

Usagi's eyes filled up with tears. "What... What am I going to do? The wedding is in two months! I'm never going to find anything!"

"I saw a nice looking red one..." Rei started to offer as she stepped forward to lift the lace veil off of her friend's odangos. Her voice cut off as Usagi shook her head. Quickly, she snatched it out of the air before it could hit the floor.

"No," Usagi half sobbed. "I want a white dress. Not red. Not blue. White."

"Of course, Usagi-chan," Ami soothed as she stepped closer to her friend. "Don't cry now. We'll find it. It's just that all these layers cover you up. You need something more streamlined. Something that will make you seem slim and tall. How about something in silk or satin?" she asked as she turned towards Tamaki. "With pearls? Or small flowers maybe?"

Finally realizing that these young girls were serious after all, Tamaki nodded. "We have quite a few in silk and several in satin. Maybe an antique or ivory?" Ami and Rei followed her back to the main section of the store while Minako and Makoto helped a sniffling Usagi back to the changing room.

After they had tried on half of the white dresses in the store, Tamaki was beginning to despair. Nothing she found seemed to fit the image the girls had in their head. One dress was too Haruka-san, another oozed Naru-chan. While Tamaki did not know who those people were, the others would all agree that that was so. Meanwhile, Usagi's tears became harder and harder to control.

"Why can I find dresses for everyone but me?" she finally wailed as she collapsed on a chair dressed only in her underthings.

"Don't give up, Usagi-chan," Makoto said encouragingly. "We've only made it through half the shops in Minato. Surely the next shop will have something."

"Do you have any other suggestions?" Ami asked tiredly as she turned to Tamaki.

The sales clerk shook her equally tired head. "I think all I have left is something in alabaster white silk. With her pale coloring, that would just wash her out."

"Alabaster?" Ami, Rei, and Minako asked simultaneously as they raised their heads. Usagi and Makoto looked at them curiously.

"Heavy silk?" Rei asked. Tamaki nodded uncertainly.

"Flowing?" Minako asked. Again, Tamaki nodded uncertainly.

"Where?" Ami asked.

Tamaki shook her head again as she led the way back to the storage room. "I really think it will be too overpowering for her," she said as she opened the door. "And both the front and the back are very low. It's not something demure like a young bride should wear." She carefully slid several plastic wrapped dresses aside and pulled one gently out.

Ami's eyes widened slightly at the way the material moved against Tamaki's hands. Although the light in the storage room was too dim to see much through the plastic, her heart began to beat with excitement. "What have we got to lose?" she heard herself ask Tamaki. Quickly, they walked back to the dressing room.

Tamaki was still shaking her head as she carefully drew the dress out of its plastic cover. The sudden gasp and silence behind her made her look over her shoulder. All five girls were staring at the dress with wide eyes.

"It's perfect," Makoto breathed as she eased forward to touch the little silk roses on the bodice and demi-sleeves. Rei nodded as she carefully picked up a handful of the skirt and let it cascade out of her hands.

"Ah!" Minako exclaimed. She turned towards the door and raced back out to the main section of the store.

Usagi stood up, her eyes still locked on the dress. As if they had rehearsed their moves many times before, Rei gathered the long skirt into her hands while Makoto slipped it off the hanger. Carefully, they carried it towards their princess where, with Ami's deft help, they lifted it over her head and helped her slip it on. Ami immediately went to work on the small pearl buttons while Makoto adjusted Usagi's hair and bodice, tucking the straps of her bra out of sight, and Rei handled the skirt. They had just finished when Minako rushed back into the room with a long, tiered veil. Gently, she stuck the comb into the hair at the crown of Usagi's head, and then arranged its drape. Finally, they stepped back.

Tamaki sucked in a shocked breath. Where just a few minutes before a childish young teenager had stood, a beautiful woman had appeared. The alabaster of the dress seemed to shine softly around her, like moonlight. Instead of washing her out as Tamaki had feared, it seemed to add an extra sheen to her pale skin.

Shaking her amazement away, Tamaki studied the fit professionally. It would need to be taken in a little in the waist and the hem shortened a bit, but overall it seemed as if the dress had been made for her.

"We'll take it," Rei said abruptly. Her voice seemed to startle her friends out of their amazement. Usagi began to run her hand lovingly down the skirt, while Minako twitched and adjusted the veil.

Suddenly, Usagi's hand stopped. "How much?" she asked a little fearfully.

"It doesn't matter," Rei said with a shake of her head. "We'll take it."

"But, Rei-chan..."

"We'll take it," her friend replied with a stern look. Usagi just silently ran her hand lovingly down the skirt once more.


	4. Close But No Doll

2/4/06

Title: Close, But No Doll  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Mistaken Identity  
Genre: Humor  
Version: Manga (end of StarS, reference to Code Name wa Sailor V)  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: All characters were created by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely converted them into paper cutouts to play with for a while.

Close, But No Doll

"Is that... It is! Hi! How have you been!"

Usagi blinked in surprise as someone grabbed her shoulder and walked around to stand in front of her. For a moment, she thought Ami had decided to do the impossible and skip cram school to join her other friends at the mall, but the face and hair weren't quite right. "Ex... Excuse me?" she asked tentatively.

"You look the same," the girl said with a wide grin. "Except... You changed your hair. When did you do that?"

"My hair?" Usagi asked as she lifted her left hand to the side of her head. Her confusion finally registered with the other girl, whose eyes widened in disbelief and more than a trace of hurt.

"Hikaru," she said. "You've forgotten me? How could you do that? I mean, I know we go to different high schools now, but..."

"Oh! Hikaru-chan! Hi!" Usagi said brightly as she wracked her brains trying to place the girl. "I'm sorry, I'm just out of it as usual."

Hikaru relaxed, and smiled once more. "Really! I can't believe you forgot me," she teased. "We've only known each other since elementary school!"

Usagi gulped. "Yeah, well, you know me. If it didn't happen five minutes ago..." She chuckled self deprecatingly.

Hikaru chuckled, too, but her eyes still held a trace of hurt. "Yeah, I suppose. Unless it has something to do with men. Speaking of which, have you got a boyfriend yet?"

Usagi's face lit up, and she nodded. "Oh yes. He's around here somewhere. He had to go stop in at the tuxedo store. He should be back in just a minute."

Hikaru's eyes widened. "A tuxedo store? Does he work there?"

Usagi laughed. "Oh no, no. He had to pick out his tuxedo for the wedding!"

"The wedding? Who's getting married?"

Usagi paused. "Ummm... Actually... I am." She shifted a little nervously. She still couldn't remember who Hikaru was, and she knew very well that she had not sent the girl an invitation.

"Y... You are?" Hikaru exclaimed. "Wow! That's fast! You've only known him, what, six months? A year? Why didn't you tell me?"

Usagi gave her another confused look, and then laughed nervously. "I'm sorry, didn't you know? Wow. The invitation must have gotten lost or something."

"Yeah, I guess," Hikaru said with a smile. Usagi tried not to wince as the hurt expression in the other girl's eyes grew. "So, how did you meet? What does he look like? Is he the reason you haven't been around lately?"

"We met... some time ago, out in front of Crown Arcade," Usagi said, trying to pick her words with care without looking like she was trying to do so. "You know how I always used to like to go there, right?" Hikaru nodded. Usagi's face became a little dreamy as she looked out in space in front of her. "He's tall, with rich black hair and blue, blue eyes... Just the color of Earth when viewed from the Moon..." Her voice trailed off as she thought of her fiancée.

Hikaru's chuckle brought her back abruptly. "You really haven't changed," the girl said with a grin. "You still drift off into dreamland when you're describing a cute guy. So, is he nice?"

"Oh, yeah! Well, he can be a pain sometimes," Usagi said with a slight frown as she remembered their first few encounters, "but usually he's wonderful. He's studying to be a doctor," she added as her smile returned.

"A doctor! Oh, you're so lucky... So, how's the new school?"

"It's all right," Usagi said as her smile turned wry. "It's school, what can I say?"

"Still having problems in Math, huh?" Hikaru replied with a sympathetic grin. Usagi nodded. "Don't worry, you'll make it. Hey, why don't you come by later and I give you a little help?" Hikaru's eyes lit up hopefully.

"Ummm..."

"Sorry to keep you waiting," a deep voice interrupted them.

"Mamo-chan!" Usagi cried out in relief as she spun around. She moved quickly to his side. "You're done?"

"Mm..." he nodded. "All set." His lips quirked up into a lopsided smile as he looked down at his fiancée. "Even the top hat. Though why you think I'll need a top hat..."

Usagi pouted prettily. "It just wouldn't look right without it. Oh," she exclaimed when Hikaru's discreet cough made her remember her surroundings. She turned towards the other girl. "Mamo-chan, this is Hikaru-chan. She's an old friend of mine."

"How do you do?" Mamoru said politely with a small bow. "I'm Mamoru Chiba."

"And I'm Hikaru Fureta. It's nice to meet you," Hikaru replied with a polite bow. She turned back to Usagi. "So, about those Math problems..."

"Math?" Mamoru asked as he looked curiously at Usagi.

"Hahaha, Hikaru-chan has offered to give me some help in Math. Thanks, anyway, Hikaru-chan," Usagi replied as she turned from her fiancée to the strange girl. "I appreciate the offer, I really do, but Mamo-chan helps me with all of my homework now..."

"Oh..." Hikaru replied as she lowered her eyes to hide her disappointment. She forced a smile and looked back up. "Of course he does," she said more brightly. "Silly me."

"I'm really sorry, Hikaru-chan..." Usagi said softly. She wished she could remember this girl who seemed so nice and apparently thought that they had been very good friends.

"Nn-nnn..." Hikaru said as she shook her head. "No, really, I do understand. So, what else has been going on in your life? Have you made any new friends in high school?"

As they stood talking, Rei, Makoto, and Minako came around the corner carrying cups of soda from the food court. Minako's eyes widened in shock, and she stopped abruptly. "Hey, watch it!" Rei called as she barely avoided running into the blonde. "Don't stop suddenly like that!"

"Sorry," Minako mumbled as she stared at the girl talking with Usagi and Mamoru. Slowly, a wide grin began to grow on her face. She stepped forward eagerly and came within earshot for the very end of their conversation. Rei and Makoto exchanged puzzled looks, then rushed to catch up.

"Well, it was nice seeing you again, Minako-chan," Hikaru said as she drew her purse around in front of her with a sad smile. "If you find that invitation, just send it to me, okay?"

As Usagi and Mamoru stared at her in surprise, Minako burst out laughing. "Close, but no doll, Hikaru-chan!"

"Cigar. Close, but no cigar," Hikaru said absently, her voice blending with Rei's and Mamoru's as they also corrected the blonde. Suddenly, Hikaru stiffened and spun around. "Minako-chan!"

"Cigar? I don't smoke..." Minako replied as her face creased in puzzlement. With a shake of her golden head, she dismissed it. "Hey, Hikaru-chan!"

"But... But you..." Hikaru looked back and forth between Usagi and Minako, temporarily unable to understand.

Usagi's face lit up when she realized that she had not forgotten a good friend after all, and she began to laugh. "Oh! You thought I was Minako-chan."

Hikaru blinked, and then turned to face her friend. "Minako-chan?"

Minako nodded, and then handed one of her drinks to Usagi. "It's funny, isn't it? Don't worry, people do it all the time. Hikaru-chan, this is my friend Usagi Tsukino." She turned to face her blonde princess. Sky blue eyes met azure blue, and identical smiles broke out on their faces. Slowly, they turned back to Hikaru. "Some people say we look alike," she continued as she and Usagi both shook their heads. Golden blonde hair mixed with a lighter blonde. "We don't see it," they chorused together.

Hikaru blinked at them, and then began to chuckle. "Oh, Usagi-san, I'm so sorry... You must have thought I was so weird..."

Usagi smiled brightly at her, and shook her head again. "No, I'm just glad I didn't really forget you. How do you do, my name is Usagi Tsukino," she said with a bow. "I think we might become good friends."


	5. Rebirth

2/7/06

Title: Rebirth  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Light  
Genre: Drama  
Version: Manga (Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: All characters were created by and belong to Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely transformed them into paper cutouts to play with for a while.

Rebirth

'_Cool._' He pondered that thought for a while, and then discarded it. Although the light was soft, cool did not feel like a good description for it. That word brought forth random impressions of coldness, and while the light was refreshing, it was anything but cold.

'_Warm?_' No, that was closer, but it still was not right. That word brought forth impressions of strength and heat. While the light was strong, it was much gentler than that: a pulsing, joyful embrace, not a beating, burning one.

'_Protective._' Closer still. It did seem to wrap around him like a blanket, but it did not have the sharp, biting flavor he associated with protection.

'_Bright._' Yes, that was almost it. The light was very bright. And yet, it wasn't. It wasn't hard like brightness. It was soft, and yet…

'_Uplifting_.' Yes, that was a much better term. It still did not describe the light completely, but it was closer than his previous thoughts.

Something about the light distracted him from his game. He puzzled over it, letting the light pour through him as he searched for the wrongness. He grew disturbed when he realized that the light was weakening. Its joyful pulse seemed to become slow and mournful. It didn't fade so much as still.

Sadness did not belong in this light, he decided abruptly. It was joy. It was life. It was love.

Love? Life was the better term for the light, and yet the other word brought forth a much stronger reaction. The impressions rolled through him: warm arms wrapped around him, bright blue eyes staring up into his, laughter, tears, warmth, softness, protectiveness, joy, Usagi…

'_Usagi_?' The name suddenly brought the first full blown image to his mind: a woman with long, pale hair sitting in a rocking chair holding a small baby. He could hear the lullaby she was softly humming as she rocked back and forth. He could smell the scent from a nearby vase of flowers and the baby powder on the changing table next to him. He could almost feel how it would be to be held in her arms and rocked like that. '_Usako…_'

The light was his Usako. The thought suddenly made him angry. That light should not still. It should not weaken. Nothing should threaten that light. He needed to help her. He needed to give her his strength. He needed to…

Abruptly, he realized that he could sense more than the light. He felt firmness under his feet. A strong breeze tousled his hair and pulled at something that was hanging off of his shoulders. Absently, he identified the feeling as a billowing cape. In the breeze, he could smell flowers and grass and moisture and something indefinable.

Quickly, he pushed those thoughts out of his head and opened his eyes. He searched the unfamiliar hillside for a sign of champagne blonde. A flutter of white drew his attention, and his gaze stilled. With wide eyes, he stared at the woman who was lying on her side in the grass.

He knew her. He knew that form fitting dress, that long, platinum white hair. He had not seen her in almost ten years, ever since he had returned from the thirtieth century, but he did not doubt for an instant who the lady was.

He rushed to Neo-Queen Serenity's side, and fell to his knees to take her in his arms. His eyes widened again when he saw the pale purple color that he was wearing. One gloved hand rose swiftly to his face and touched the mask that he hadn't even realized he was wearing. Quickly, he drew it off and turned back to his wife.

"Usako? Usa, wake up!" he called softly as he tapped her face gently. Slowly, she stirred, and then blinked her eyes open.

"Mamoru?" she asked tentatively. Her eyes widened as she stared up at him, and then filled with tears. "Mamo-chan!" she cried as she threw herself up at him, her arms wrapping desperately around his neck.

He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. Deep inside, he breathed a sigh of relief as he felt that light begin to move and pulse joyfully once more.


	6. Futile Resistance PGSM

2/8/06

Title: Futile Resistance  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Infidelity  
Genre: Drama  
Version: PGSM  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: All characters used and referenced belong to Takeuchi Naoko and Bandai Entertainment. I have merely converted them into paper cutouts to play with for a while.

Futile Resistance

It called to him. Every night, it drew him, and no matter how much he resisted he knew that he would eventually give in.

It was silly. It was stupid. Worst of all, it was disloyal. He had a fiancée, after all, a wonderful woman he had known for years. She was a beautiful, loving girl who had supported and encouraged him for as long as he could remember. Except for not truly knowing who he was and where he came from, his life was perfect. Except for the strange dreams that filled his nights, his life was mapped out, as ordered as he could make it.

Then, he had met her. He would never forget his first sight of her. She had the longest hair he had ever seen, and was dressed in a costume that was as outlandish as the tuxedo he donned for his nightly raids. She had been running in fright from a youma, squealing in fear as she went. Before he could interfere and save her, she had suddenly stopped and begun to fight back. Her fighting style was extremely odd, but it was effective. He had smiled as he watched her jump around happily congratulating herself on her success.

He hadn't thought much of her then. It took watching her fight several more battles, refusing to give up no matter what the odds before he had come to respect her. And when she calmly, happily sang a song while saving his life just because she loved it and happened to hear the melody drift by, he had realized how special she was. He had discovered her secret not long after, but even after the shock had worn off, he had not shared his own.

No, he kept his secrets from both of them. He couldn't bring himself to tell them. One would not understand. The other would probably understand all too well.

He felt it call to him again, his need like a dark poison seeping through his veins. He resolutely picked up a text book and tried to study. It wasn't that easy to escape, however, and he found his mind drifting to her once again.

Even in her "normal" form, her hair was unusually long. Most women these days wore their hair short, but even with it pulled up on either side of her head her hair reached below her shoulders. He often found himself wondering how long it really was, how heavy it was, and what it would feel like to the touch. It looked like silk, all straight and smooth and shiny. He dropped his book and rubbed his hands irritably on his pants when they began to tingle and itch.

Abruptly, he stood and walked into his kitchen for a drink. There, he saw an apron that his fiancée had left behind. He stopped and touched it, studying it's cheerful, yet adult pattern. So like Hina. So unlike Usagi. They were so very different, and yet they had one trait in common: they trusted him.

Usagi trusted him as Tuxedo Mask. He knew she was always looking for him when she fought, trusting in him to protect her as much as she trusted in her fellow senshi. As Mamoru Chiba, she had come to like and trust him. She had even asked him to help her watch two young children at the park, although he suspected it was more so that she could play, too.

Hina never doubted that he would marry her, although she never pressed him to set a date. She understood him and his need to try and be his own man first. She knew that he was still searching for his past even after all these fruitless years. She stood by and waited patiently for him to be ready to take that next step that they both knew was coming.

Usagi knew about Hina. The two of them had met at the park while he and Usagi had been babysitting two young children, and the boy had innocently let slip that Hina was his fiancée. He had almost been relieved that it was finally out in the open, although Usagi had looked very surprised.

Hina had just smiled at Usagi in a friendly fashion and exchanged introductions. And, she had been concerned when Usagi had suddenly run off. She had not seen the youma that he and Usagi had seen, but she did not question him when he had made up an excuse and run off after the younger girl. No, Hina trusted in him and their future. Undoubtedly, she truly believed him when he had said he was going to make sure that Usagi was all right.

He rubbed his chin ruefully as he remembered the other thing that had happened that day. Usagi might trust him, but her friends definitely did not, and one of them had been sure to let him know that in no uncertain terms. He frowned, suddenly, when he realized that he hadn't seen much of Usagi since that day. It was almost as if she were starting to avoid him. He decided abruptly that it was for the best as he jerkily reached into a cabinet for a glass.

He carried it back into the living area, half full of water. As he passed the door to his bedroom, he paused. It still called to him, and his hesitation cost him the fight. Slowly, he walked in to the room and opened up the dresser drawer. Reluctantly, he reached in and pulled out an innocent looking handkerchief. He sank down onto his bed, put his glass down on the table, and opened it.

It was silly. It was stupid. Worst of all, it was disloyal. But, he could not resist playing with the handkerchief she had given him. He could not resist thinking about her, and wondering what if. He needed her, he was reluctantly coming to realize. And as he lifted the handkerchief to his face to inhale Usagi's lingering scent, Hina vanished completely from his mind.


	7. Rumors

2/8/06b

Title: Rumors  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Infidelity  
Genre: Drama  
Version: Manga (post StarS / pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating:

Disclaimer: Mamoru, Usagi, and Dr. Mizuno were created by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely converted them into paper cutouts to play with for a while. All other cutouts I must take responsibility for.

Rumors

"Bye-bye, Mamo-chan!" Usagi called brightly over her shoulder as she waved and turned to run to the bus stop. Mamoru waved back with a smile.

It grew bigger as she tripped over an unseen crack in the sidewalk and wind-milled her arms to keep her balance. Somehow, she managed to right herself without falling, loosing her book satchel or bento, twisting her ankle, or hitting an innocent bystander. She didn't even miss a step, although she did stagger around the sidewalk for a bit before straightening back out. Yes, his beautiful queen still had her moments even though they occurred less often than three years ago when they had first met. He was still smiling as he turned to walk up the stairs into the hospital.

Standing unseen to one side, a tall woman with brownish red hair watched the scene with curiosity. Her pale blue-grey eyes widened appreciatively when she caught a glimpse of Mamoru's features, and her head turned so that her gaze could follow him inside. As she turned to make her way up the stairs as well, she heard an amused voice drift over her shoulder.

"Don't even bother," it said quietly.

Nadia stopped suddenly and turned to look around uncertainly. A stylishly dressed older woman with dark blue hair was walking unhurriedly towards her. She stopped, smiled politely, and spoke again. "He's taken, and he has no interest in anyone else. All the nurses have tried without success." Her smile became more amused at this thought.

"I… I do not know what you are talking about," Nadia said a little stiffly, trying not to flush with embarrassment. She quickly turned and continued up the stairs. The other woman just followed her into the building.

When Nadia walked over to look at the building directory, the other woman passed her and kept walking down the hall. "Good morning, Dr. Mizuno," she heard the nurse at the information desk say brightly as the woman passed. '_Dr. Mizuno, hmm…_' she thought to herself as the woman replied politely to the nurse. With narrowed eyes, she committed the name to her memory.

Finally, she focused her gaze on the directory once more and carefully studied the kanji. With a nod, she turned and made her way to the elevators that would take her to the third floor and the administration office. Wistfully, she wondered if she would ever see the handsome man again.

* * *

"Dr. Tsukino."

"Yes?" Mamoru made a final notation in the chart he was updating, and then looked up. Quickly, he closed the chart and bowed to his mentor. "Dr. Norita, good morning." He looked curiously at the woman who was standing beside the older doctor. Her height, in particular, caught his attention. She appeared to be surprised by something.

"Dr. Tsukino, this is Dr. Shibaatsukuraare," Dr. Norita said speaking a little more slowly than usual and fumbling his way through the difficult name. Although she winced slightly, she made no move to help or correct him. "She is the new chief administrator for the interns at the hospital." He turned towards Nadia. "And this is Dr. Tsukino, one of our most promising new interns. He works with me in the Trauma Ward."

"How do you do," she said in heavily accented Japanese as she bowed politely to the handsome man she had been looking for all morning. She had almost despaired that he was a visitor and not a doctor, but now here he was. She had to fight to keep the excitement out of her voice. "I am Nadia Schwartzkralle. It is nice to meet you."

"Mamoru Tsukino," he replied as he bowed politely in return. "It is nice to meet you, Dr. Schwartzkralle."

Nadia's eyes widened with pleasure as she heard him pronounce her name properly and without difficulty. "Do you, perhaps, speak German, Dr. Tsukino?"

"Only a little bit," he replied politely with a shake of his head. "I had an acquaintance in college from West Germany, and he taught me a few words along with some general pronunciation guides. I do not think I am up to carrying on a conversation in German."

"Oh," she replied sounding a little disappointed. Then she smiled at him. "You do a good job with the pronunciation. I hope I can continue your lessons in the future."

Mamoru and Dr. Norita blinked, a little unsure if she had meant that the way it had sounded or if she had somehow messed up in translation. Deciding to assume it was a mistake, Mamoru bowed politely to her. "I look forward to it. If you will excuse me, I need to visit a patient now."

"Certainly," Dr. Norita said as he waved the younger man away. "If you will come this way, Dr. Shibaatsukuraare?"

Nadia resisted the urge to look wistfully over her shoulder at Mamoru. '_Mamoru… Mamoru Tsukino…_' she thought, and a smile grew on her face. She decided that she was going to love her new job.

* * *

"Usa? Are you home?" Mamoru ran a weary hand through his hair as he waited for his wife to pick up the phone. After a few seconds of silence, he sighed. "Luna? Usako? Is anyone there?" He waited several more seconds and then decided that his wife had gone to Rei's shrine again. Not that he could blame her. He had been putting in more and more overtime lately, and she was a social person. He was glad she had such good friends to stay with, especially when he recalled the mysterious pain she had been having lately.

"I have to work late again tonight. I'm sorry, I know I promised to try and get home on time, but something came up. I'll see you when I get there, okay? Until then..." Reluctantly, he hung up the phone. He hated lying to her, but he was too embarrassed to tell her the truth.

Apparently, Dr. Schwartzkralle had truly meant what she said about continuing his German lessons, and since he had agreed (in front of a witness at that), he was finding it very difficult to turn her down. Reluctantly, he made his way towards her office and the hour of "torture" he was going to have to endure before he could check on his patients one final time for the night and go home to his beautiful wife.

If it were just the German, he wouldn't have worried about it so much. He wasn't as good as Ami at languages, but he generally picked up the basics pretty quickly. Secretly, he wondered if it was a hold-over from his days as the Prince of the Earth all those centuries ago. Surely, when he was Endymion he had needed to know many languages.

No, although he would have preferred to wait until after he finished his stressful internship, it wasn't the language lessons that bothered him. It was the teacher. Mamoru was beginning to suspect, quite strongly, that she had had an ulterior motive in mind when she had pressured him into this.

Slowly, she had begun to invade his personal space. It seemed so innocent: leaning over his shoulder to show him something in the text book, leaning closer to listen to his pronunciation, accidentally touching his hand when she took something from him. But although he had responded negatively each time, she continued. And now, she was starting to ask personal questions.

He had to force his hand up to knock on the door. He, who had never shirked any duty, desired or not, could barely bring himself to keep this appointment.

"Enter," he heard her call in Japanese. Slowly, he opened the door and walked into the office. He made sure to leave it open as he always did.

"Ah, Mamoru! Tag!" she exclaimed with a smile as she looked up from her paperwork and switched to German. "Is it that time already? My how time flies. Come in, come in." She quickly put her pen down and pushed back her chair. A shadow crossed her face when she glanced at the door, but she made no move toward it. The one time she had tried to close it and give them some privacy, he had politely reopened it again. She made her way to the table she had set up for their lesson and sat down in her seat. Mamoru nodded a greeting and reluctantly took his own.

Forty five minutes later, he grit his teeth and glared at his book when she leaned over to explain an example to him. He had moved away from her several times, but she had followed him around the table. He felt himself pale, however, when he heard someone behind him clear their throat.

"Ah... Dr. Schwartzkralle?"

Nadia paused for a few more seconds, relishing the look on Mamoru's face before she leaned back and looked towards the door. '_Right on time_,' she thought to herself. "Yes, Nurse Takao? Can I help you?"

"I... I'm sorry to interrupt," the young girl said with a blush as she stared at the two doctors. "I thought... I thought you wanted to see me?"

Nadia blinked in innocent surprise. "Wasn't that...", she looked at her watch, "an hour from now?"

Nurse Takao's blush deepened. "Oh. Of course. I'm so sorry. I'll come back later," she said as she bowed rapidly. Her hand fumbled behind her and grasped the door knob. As she made her way out of the room, she pulled it closed. "I'm so sorry."

Mamoru stiffened when he heard the latch click, and slowly looked at his superior out of the corner of his eye. Dr. Schwartzkralle just shook her head with a sigh and turned back to the book once more. "I swear, that girl needs an organizer. Now, where were we?"

Stiffly, Mamoru stood up. "I'm afraid I need to go check on my patients, Dr. Schwartzkralle. Perhaps another night?"

"Oh. So early? Of course," she said, acting surprised. "How about tomorrow? I do believe I am free at the same time." She stood up and walked unhurriedly over to her desk. "Oh, no. Never mind," she said as she looked at her organizer. "I have a meeting then. But it is only an hour, and then I am free. Shall I pencil you in?"

"No, that's all right. I think I need to take a break. I haven't been able to spend any time with my wife recently," he replied stiffly. He started to bow and take his leave.

"Oh, don't give up yet," she cajoled with a knowing smile. He stopped mid-bow. "You are doing so well. I know it's getting a bit harder, but if you just work at it you can get it." She knew both the challenge and the innuendo would get him. The question was, how would he react.

Slowly, he rose back up and looked at her with cold eyes. "I'm sure I can. But it won't be for some time," he said stiffly. "Now, if you will excuse me." He quickly made his way to the door and opened it. His face tightened more when he saw another intern jerk back startled with one hand raised in the air. The other man drew back with a soft hiss of fear when he saw the look in Mamoru's eyes, and quickly stepped aside.

He stared after Mamoru for a moment, and then slowly made his way into Dr. Schwartzkralle's office. His eyes widened with shock when he saw her hunched behind her desk, her face buried in her hands. "Dr. Schwartzkralle? Doctor, are you all right?"

She stiffened, and then made a show of turning around and wiping off her face. "Of... Of course," she said in a choked voice. "What... What can I do for you, Dr. Igarashi?"

* * *

"Did you hear?" Nurse Takao said softly to the nurse behind the desk. "About Dr. Tsukino and Dr. Schwartzkralle?"

"Yeah," he softly replied. "Isn't it amazing? I hear he has a beautiful wife at home. How low can he get?"

"It's even better than that," an older nurse whispered as she looked around cautiously. "Not only did he... But he dumped her, too." As they looked at her in shock, she nodded her head vigorously. "Dr. Igarashi told me. He said he found her crying and when he asked her why she said..." her voice got even softer, and her fellow nurses leaned in closer to hear. Their eyes widened in shock, and they turned to stare at her. She nodded again. "That's what he said she said..."

"Wow... I never would have thought Dr. Tsukino could be so heartless," Nurse Takao said softly, her gentle brown eyes wide. The male nurse just looked thoughtful.

"He might..." he said softly. "He does have a cold streak in him. I could almost see him doing that..."

Suddenly, Nurse Takao frowned and shook her head. "No. No, I don't believe it. I don't care who told you that," she said defensively to the older nurse, "Dr. Tsukino wouldn't do that."

The older woman merely shrugged her shoulders. "Men do crazy things, especially when they're young interns working crazy hours. And I got it from Dr. Igarashi who got it directly from Dr. Schwartzkralle."

Nurse Takao shook her head stubbornly again. "No, I won't believe it."

* * *

Dr. Mizuno gave her resident assistant a curious look. "Dr. Tsukino? Yes, I've met him. What about him?"

Dr. Hanemura gave her an uncomfortable look and shifted a little nervously. "Did... Did you hear what he supposedly did to Dr. Schwartzkralle?" Dr. Mizuno raised one dark eyebrow. "The rumor is that he... he..."

Dr. Mizuno began to smile a little sardonically at the flustered girl. "It's a lie."

"Eh? Then you did hear?"

"No, I have no idea what rumor is going around. But if it involves something about Dr. Tsukino that you can't bring yourself to say out loud, it must not be true. I've never met a more... honorable man in my life."

* * *

"Usako? Are you ready to go?" Mamoru called impatiently from the living area as he slipped into his dress jacket.

"Yes..." his wife replied, sounding a little uncertain. When he turned to look at her, she had a doubtful look on her face. He took a few minutes to admire the vision before him. In the sleek, dark blue, tea length gown, she did not look like a girl who had just graduated from high school. Instead, she looked very much like the sophisticated woman that he knew her to be. He smiled when he realized that she had not changed her hairstyle. Somehow, she made it look right with the outfit.

"Do... Do I look all right?" she asked hesitantly as she lifted a graceful hand to the starburst necklace around her neck. "It's not too tight or anything, is it?"

Mamoru shook his head and walked over to her. Slowly, he slid his arms around her and drew her up against him. "No... I may have to find my sword to keep all the other young doctors away, but it's not too tight." She giggled and snuggled into him. "Don't worry, you'll be fine," he whispered in her ear. She sighed and nodded her head against his dress shirt. "Ready?" She nodded again and slowly pulled away. Chivalrously, he helped her into her wrap.

Some time later, they arrived at the restaurant where the hospital's annual awards dinner was being held. Although Mamoru was not up for an award, his mentor was and so he had been invited to attend. When they entered into the ballroom where the pre-dinner social was being held, Mamoru felt Usagi shiver a little with nervousness. He had to smile as he drew her closer. '_This is the woman who defeated Metalia, Wiseman, Nehelenia, and Galaxia? The woman who saved the universe, even if most of its inhabitants don't realize it? How can she be scared of such a mundane gathering?_'

He leaned down closer to her, his eyes shining with love and amusement. "Look over there. Isn't that Queen Beryl?" he murmured in her ear. She gave a gasp and looked in the direction he indicated. Then, she frowned up at him and gave him a reluctant chuckle.

"I can't help it," she whispered back. "I want to be perfect for you."

"You are perfect," he whispered as he stood back up. He caught one glimpse of her shining azure eyes before he turned to greet his mentor and introduce her. All around them, people were whispering in surprise.

After introducing her to several other doctors, Mamoru left her with Ami's mother while he went to fetch her a drink from the bar. While Dr. Mizuno was distracted by another guest, Usagi studied her surroundings with an excited smile.

"Is that really his wife?" she heard someone say softly off to her left. "Wow, she really is as beautiful as they say."

"He cheated on her? What, is he blind or something?" another voice exclaimed softly in return. "If she were my wife, there would be no way I would look at someone else." Curiously, Usagi began to look discreetly around the room, trying to find out who they were talking about.

"I thought she was younger, though," another voice said joining the conversation. "Wasn't she in high school or something?" Usagi's eyes widened as she realized that they were talking about her. She knew that she was the youngest person in the room. "Maybe he's found another mistress and that's why he broke it off with Dr. Schwartzkralle."

"That high school thing does sound familiar," the first voice said thoughtfully. "Maybe he did. Huh. I hear his wife is a blonde, too. Maybe he just prefers them." Usagi began to frown, and turned to look for the speakers. "Uh-oh..." the first voice said as he realized he'd been caught. All Usagi saw was three young men ducking away from her, hiding behind other patrons.

"Are you going to believe them?" Dr. Mizuno asked curiously as she saw Usagi's face and guessed what had happened.

Usagi turned to look at her with a troubled face. "He _has_ been working long hours lately,... or so he's said..." She sounded as uncertain as she looked as she turned the events of the past six months over in her head. "He's been so tired and tense... And, he doesn't like to talk about work anymore." She paused. "Not that he ever did much to begin with," she finally conceeded with a slight nod, "but it's even less now."

Dr. Mizuno watched with concern when Usagi gazed towards her husband with troubled eyes. "Why? Why didn't he tell me?" the younger woman asked, sounding hurt and confused.

"Usagi-san..." Dr. Mizuno started to say, and then stopped when Usagi shook her head.

"No, he should have told me," the younger woman said softly but emphatically. She fixed her eyes on her husband, who was walking back towards them with three drinks in his hands. "Why didn't he tell me? Didn't I have a right to know?"

Finally, she ripped her eyes away and turned back to the older woman. "Which one is she?" she asked painfully. "Which one is Dr. Shi... Doctor..."

"Usagi-san, calm down," Dr. Mizuno said as she laid a gentle hand on the younger woman's arm. "You know Mamoru-san wouldn't..."

"Which one is she?" Usagi whispered fiercely, cutting her off.

Dr. Mizuno blinked in surprise, and then reluctantly turned to point out the woman in question. "Really, Usagi-san, you can't believe..."

"Here you are, Dr. Mizuno," Mamoru said as he held out one glass. "White Zinfandel, correct? A glass of Coca-Cola for Usako... What's wrong?" he asked. His eyes narrowed in concern when he realized that his wife was quite upset.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Usagi demanded as she took the glass away from him. He gave her a puzzled frown, while the people closest to them drew back and watched avidly. "Why?"

"Tell you what, Usako?"

"About Doctor... Doctor..." She turned helplessly to Dr. Mizuno, who reluctantly said Dr. Schwartzkralle's name once more. "Her. Why didn't you tell me about her?"

"Usako..."

"Didn't you think I had a right to know? Didn't you..." Her voice softened abruptly, and tears filled her eyes. "Didn't you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you," he exclaimed softly as he looked at their audience. "You know that," he added as he looked into her eyes. "Usako, what happened?"

She studied him seriously for several long seconds, and then nodded and turned her gaze to Dr. Schwartzkralle. Slowly, she pushed by her husband and walked over to the tall woman. She ignored all the people around her as more and more of them realized what was going on and turned to watch the show.

"Doctor? May I speak with you for a moment?" Usagi asked quietly.

Dr. Schwartzkralle turned around, startled, and looked down into her now dry eyes. "Yes? How may I help you, Miss...?"

"Tsukino. Usagi Tuskino," she replied. She watched the taller woman's pale blue-grey eyes widen in shock. "I believe you know my husband, Dr. Tsukino?"

"Usa," Mamoru said from behind her. He did not touch her, however. He merely slid into place beside her. "Usa, what's going on? What happened?"

"I've just heard the most impossible rumor," Usagi said. Although she did not raise her voice, it carried quiet clearly to the audience around her. "It appears someone thinks that you and my husband are having an affair."

Dr. Schwartzkralle stared at the smaller woman in shock, and then glanced around at all of the doctors, interns, and spouses who were watching them. "An... An..."

"Affair," Usagi said smoothly as Mamoru looked at her in shock, and then turned to glare icily at Dr. Schwartzkralle. "I don't know how such a strange rumor got started, but I'm sure that you agree it is quite impossible." Usagi turned to look up at her furious husband. "Mamoru loves me," she said simply, drawing his eyes down to hers. A small smile played around the corners of her mouth. "Throughout all time and brainwashing," she said very softly.

The smile faded as she turned back to Dr. Schwartzkralle. "I just wanted to say that I will do my best to squash this rumor," she told the older woman. "I'm sure you do not want it flying around any more than I do, so I would appreciate your help."

Dr. Schwartzkralle could not believe her ears. Not only was the younger woman certain that her husband was innocent, she was assuming that Nadia was a victim, too. For a long moment, she did not know how to respond. Those azure blue eyes just looked up at her calmly and patiently. Mamoru's cold, ocean blue eyes, however, quietly said that he knew very well where the rumor had started and that she should accept this truce before he changed his mind. She shivered in trepidation. "Um... Thank... Thank you," she finally said. "Of... of course I will help you," she choked out. "I'm... I'm sure it was just... just a misunderstanding..."

Usagi smiled brightly. "Of course," she replied. "Thank you. I will trust you with it." And then, she put her hand on Mamoru's arm and drew him away back across the room to Dr. Mizuno.

Dr. Mizuno was trying very hard not to shake her head in amazement. Sometimes, her daughter's best friend seemed too good and trusting to be true. But as she studied Dr. Schwartzkralle's face, she decided that for her, it worked.


	8. Surprise Party

2/9/06

Title: Surprise Party  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Birthday  
Genre: Romance  
Version: Manga (post StarS / pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: All characters were created by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely converted them into paper cutouts to play with for a while.

Surprise Party

Mamoru stopped in the empty hallway outside of his apartment, stretched, and yawned widely. He was so bone tired that he just couldn't keep it in any longer. Between working sixteen hour shifts to cover for vacations and make up for the time he had lost right after his daughter was born, said daughter waking up at all hours of the night and morning, and trying to spend some time with his wife, he felt as if he were in his internship period all over again. '_I'm getting too old for this,_' he thought as he pulled his keys from his pants pocket and opened up the door.

Blearily, he walked inside and removed his shoes. As he stood back up again, he suddenly realized that the lights in the living area were on, and that Minako's latest CD was playing softly. He frowned, puzzled and concerned. '_It's three in the morning,_' he thought to himself as he hastily walked out of the entryway. '_Usako should have been in bed hours ago. Is something wrong with ChibiUsa?_'

He slowed to a stop when he saw Luna curled up on the back of the couch. His wife's black furred adviser would never have been so calm if something serious were going on. Relaxing a bit, he shook his head at his wife's unusual behavior. Usually, she only left the small lamp on the stand by the door lit when he was going to be late.

Stretching once again, he decided to get a glass of water and unwind a few minutes before going to bed. He turned, and then froze in surprise. A large banner was draped over the dining room table which was in turn decorated for a party. His eyes widened as he read the banner. '_Happy Birthday, Papa._'

Slowly, he walked over and lifted a hat off the table. There were three places set with snaps, plates, spoons, napkins, and cups. He had to smile since ChibiUsa was way too young to be eating baby food, much less solid food. A small cake sat the cake preserver that Makoto had given Usagi a few years before, and a cup of water and an ice cream scoop indicated that his favorite summertime treat was hiding nearby.

Feeling guilty now because he had ruined her surprise, he sighed and set the hat back on the table. He walked into the kitchen, got his glass of water, and walked back towards the living area.

"Happy birthday, Mamoru-san," he heard Luna say quietly. He glanced over at her and gave her an appreciative nod. "Thank you, Luna," he replied. "It's late, why don't you go back to sleep? I'll…" Suddenly, he stopped and stared.

The guilty feeling was replaced by loving amusement at the sight in front of him. Apparently, Usagi had tried to stay up and wait for him. She was curled up around their month old daughter on a blanket on the living room floor, surrounded by ChibiUsa's toys and pillows. "Usako…"

"She tried," Luna said sounding amused as she stood up and stretched. "She really did. She was so determined that she was going to wait up for you no matter how long it took. She made it all the way to 23:00 before she keeled over."

Mamoru shook his head with a small smile and put the glass on the end table. He studied his family for a few more moments, and then turned to walk into their bedroom, tugging at his tie as he went.

Luna watched in amazement when he reappeared carrying a light blanket. Gently, he draped it over his wife, and then lifted her head to push a pillow under it. Luna smiled as she jumped down from the back of the couch and walked over to the stereo. She turned off the CD, while Mamoru turned off the lights and made sure the door was locked. She sat in front of the stereo and watched as he slid under the blanket and wrapped his arms around his wife.

Usagi stirred, and tried to turn towards him. "Mam'-ch'n?" she mumbled groggily.

Mamoru held her firmly in place and kissed her on the top of her head. "Go back to sleep, love," he said gently.

"Mmm…" she agreed. "Hap' B'rthd'y," she murmured as she settled down once more.

"Yes it is," he whispered as he closed his eyes and shifted to lay his chin on the spot he had just kissed. "Yes it is."

Luna waited for a few moments, watching the family sleep on the floor as if they were at a slumber party. She wondered in amusement if she would ever remember to tell ChibiUsa about this in the future, and then stood up to stretch once more. Carefully, she returned to her high perch to resume her watch over the royal heroes. Nothing would disturb them this night if she could help it.


	9. Family Heritage

2/10/06 – Winner: Best Interpretation of Theme for February at smmonthly Live Journal Community

Title: Family Heritage  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Old Fashioned  
Genre: General  
Version: Manga (post StarS / pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: All characters used were created by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely converted them into paper cutouts to play with for a while.

Family Heritage

"Now that's a serious look," Minako said as she placed her book satchel on Rei's table and sat down next to Usagi. Her friend was staring at a pencil which lay on a blank sheet of paper. "Too serious for a beautiful day like this. What's up?"

"Eh? Oh, hi Minako-chan. It's nothing," Usagi said with a smile as she reached for the pencil.

"Mmm… Right…" Rei said from her seat. She, too, had a piece of paper in front of her, but hers was covered with practice kanji strokes. She studied Usagi's face as Minako reluctantly drew her text books out and prepared to work on her math homework. "She's only been staring at that piece of paper for ten minutes." Minako gave her a surprised look, and then turned towards Usagi again.

"Oh, quit exaggerating, Rei-chan," Usagi said irritably as she reached into her book satchel and brought out her math homework as well. Much to Minako's surprise, Rei merely raised an eyebrow and dipped her brush into an inkwell without a word.

"Good afternoon," Ami called from the doorway as she and Makoto entered the room. Their three friends called out a greeting, and soon they all were huddled around the table with books and papers scattered out in front of them.

Ten minutes later, Ami gave Usagi a worried look. "Usagi-chan, what's wrong?" she finally asked after the blonde had made her twentieth simple math error in ten minutes. The only reason it had taken Usagi that long was that she kept pausing and staring blankly into space.

"Hmmm? Nothing, Ami-chan, why?" Usagi asked as she started and looked up.

"I know that you know that ten plus forty is not one hundred and forty," Ami replied with a frown. Usagi's eyes widened in shock and she looked down at her paper. With an embarrassed laugh, she reached for her eraser. "You've been spacing out ever since we got here," Ami continued, "even worse than usual. What happened? Did you and Mamoru-san have a fight?"

"Heh?" the newlywed asked, and then shook her head. "No, why would we be fighting?" she asked in puzzlement.

"Is it ChibiUsa-chan, then?" Makoto asked curiously. Just a few weeks ago, Usagi had told her friends that she was pregnant and they were all eagerly following her progress.

Usagi shook her head again with a reassuring smile. "No, really, I'm all right. It's not ChibiUsa-chan. It's nothing, really."

"Are you still upset that Mamoru-san decided to take your family name instead of the other way around when you got married?" Minako asked with a curious look as she doodled on her scratch paper.. "I thought that was so romantic of him," she sighed dreamily. "And modern, too, though he always stuck me as being somewhat old-fashioned." She frowned in thought as she tried once again to come up with a reasonable explanation for his out-of-character behavior.

"Actually, it is old-fashioned," Rei commented as she carefully drew two brush strokes on the complicated kanji she was practicing. "Most people will never realize it, though."

Ami, Makoto, and Minako gave Rei a puzzled look while Usagi just shook her head. "Old-fashioned?" Ami asked. "How? Traditionally, wives take on the names of their husbands unless their family is of a higher status." Rei paused at the end of her brush stoke, looked up at Ami, and waited with a ghost of a smile on her lips. Ami merely frowned. "The Chibas are an ancient, rich, powerful family. I believe they even have enough links to the Imperial Family to be considered for succession if the Crown Princess does not produce an heir. The Tsukinos are not nearly that powerful."

"No, the Tsukinos aren't," Rei agreed, still smiling mysteriously. Her amused violet eyes watched Ami expectantly.

"That's not why Mamo-chan decided to take my family name," Usagi interrupted as she shook her head again. The others looked at her curiously. "It was because... because..." She looked uncomfortable for a moment, and then continued more softly. "He said it was for a couple of reasons. He still doesn't remember anything from before that car crash, and he's always had doubts that he is who they said he is. And, he really doesn't want anything to do with Chiba Industries." Her friends looked at her in shock. They had known that Mamoru was quite well off financially, but this was the first time that they had heard that he was linked to that prestigious branch of the family. "He hasn't told me why, yet," Usagi continued with a sad look on her face, "but that's what he said."

"Anyway," she said with a shake of her head and a brightening expression, "that's not what's bothering me."

"Ah!" Makoto exclaimed as she leaned forward. "So there _is_ something bothering you!"

Usagi blinked, drew back in surprise, and then relaxed with a soft laugh. "Really, guys, it's nothing! It's just a homework assignment for my art class!" They looked at her with surprised, puzzled expressions. "It's a redesign assignment. You know I'm not good at that. We're supposed to take something old and modernize it. You know, like a kimono, or a drawing or a piece of jewelry. I just can't think of anything to work on." She sighed. "I thought about maybe my dress from the Silver Millennium, but the only thing I can think to do with it is make it look like Neo-Queen Serenity-sama's dress. That's cheating, don't you think?" she asked as she looked around at her friends.

"Mmm..." Ami and Makoto hummed as they nodded in agreement.

"Who cares?" Minako asked as she leaned towards her friend. "I mean, who's to say that you didn't design it?"

"Minako-chan!" Ami scolded.

"Old-fashioned, huh?" Makoto said thoughtfully. "Well, why not do something with the Chiba _kamon_?"

"Wha?" Usagi frowned in confusion. "What's a _kamon_?"

Her friends stared at her in shock. "What's a _kamon_?" Rei asked incredulously.

Ami shook her head. "It's the family crest. You know, the pretty patterns that the samurai used on their clothes and flags."

"Oh!" Usagi said. "They have a name? I thought they were just pretty designs."

Makoto, Ami, and Rei shook their heads while Minako and Usagi shared a nod. "No, they are more than just pretty designs," Ami answered. "Those designs identified a samurai or shogun. People who worked for them were sometimes allowed to wear their _kamon_." She leaned over and quickly drew a large, shaded circle surrounded by eight smaller, shaded circles on Usagi's paper. The end result looked like a stylized flower or necklace. "Here, this is the Chiba _kamon_."

Usagi studied it for a few minutes. "It seems so... simple," she said thoughtfully. "And yet pretty. Are you sure it's not supposed to be a rose?" she added as she turned to look at Ami. Her blue-haired friend sighed and shook her head with a smile.

"Well, it could be a rose," Makoto said as she leaned over to look at the design. "Not all roses are like the tea roses that Mamoru-san uses. Some, like the wild and old-fashioned ones, are quite simple like that."

Ami gave her a surprised look, and then nodded while Minako, Rei, and Usagi looked suitably impressed. "True, but most of those have five petals, not eight. Actually, I believe I read somewhere that the center circle represents a fixed star and the other eight represent the universe coming to it."

All five friends suddenly grinned as they realized the appropriateness of this description. Minako looked down at the design again. "Well, I think it looks more like a sunflower."

"The flower of rebirth?" Rei asked as she leaned forward carefully to look. "That would be appropriate, too, wouldn't it."

Usagi looked at the design once more, and then her eyes widened and her face lit up. "I've got it!" she exclaimed. "Move them a little closer, make the outer circles pastel colored, one for each of you, and the center pink with a shaded impression of a rose over a moon, maybe rays..." Excited, she turned to reach for her art supplies in her book satchel.

Ami chuckled as she reached out and grabbed her queen's hand. "Math, first, Usagi-chan," she ordered. "Then you can start drawing."

Usagi frowned in protest, and then reluctantly turned back to her homework. She studied Ami's artwork for a moment, and then lifted her eyes to smile around the table. "Thanks, guys!"


	10. Unexpected Philosophy Lesson

2/11/06

Title: Unexpected Philosophy Lesson  
Author: Raya  
Theme: "Rarely do great beauty and great virtue dwell together." -- Petrarch  
Genre: Humor  
Version: Manga (post StarS / pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: All characters are owned by Takeuchi Naoko, and even if she didn't create them I hereby give them to her. I have merely changed them into paper cutouts to play with for a little while.

Unexpected Philosophy Lesson

Mamoru stood in the brightly lit bedroom and looked down at his beautiful young bride. His ocean blue eyes studied the waves of pale blonde hair that surrounded her blanket covered form, the creamy white shoulder and arm that curled around to hold the pillow under her head, and the slender leg and foot that had escaped the blanket to cover the area of the bed where he usually lay. Yes, his wife was quite beautiful, he acknowledged with an exasperated sigh, but she was also quite lazy.

"Usa, get up," he tried again as he reached out to grab the blanket. "I thought you wanted to go to the botanical gardens today. It's already 10:00."

Usagi grumbled incoherently as she reached her arm out to look for the cover. It was a little too chilly in the room to sleep in just her short, light nightgown.

"If you don't get up, it will be too late to see anything," Mamoru said as he walked around the bed and reached for her shoulder. "Usagi, get up!"

Finally, she cracked open one azure colored eye and glared sleepily at him. "I'm coming, I'm coming," she yawned. "Mou. There's still plenty of time." She attempted to bury her face back in her pillow, but Mamoru expertly pulled it out from under her. "Mamo-chan!" she protested.

"Get up," he said implacably, "or I will go without you." With an irritated look, she pushed herself up to a sitting position and raked her hair out of her face. Satisfied that she was finally moving, Mamoru placed the pillow back on the bed and turned to return to his breakfast preparations.

(add ruler isn't working, darn it!)

Usagi studied her husband out of the corner of her eye as they sat in the train. Even after two years of dating and almost a year of marriage, she still liked to secretly admire his handsome face. It was even easier to do when, like now, he was engrossed in some book or other. Yes, she had to admit with a bemused sigh, her husband was quite handsome, but he could be so arrogant. "Mamo-chan," she tried again, "he really wasn't bothering me. He was just asking me some questions. You didn't need to get in a philosophical debate with him." He merely turned a page and continued to ignore her.

She sighed again, and reached out to push his book down. "Mamo-chan!"

He looked at her patiently. "He was trying to convert you to his religion, Usa. Once you started listening to him, he was never going to let you go until he got you to agree to visit one of his meetings."

"Well, maybe I wanted to. He was very interesting," Usagi pointed out.

Mamoru merely shook his head, and raised his book again. "You would have been bored to tears," he told her. "I just saved us both the trouble."

Usagi rolled her eyes at this typical response and sat back in her seat with a shake of her head. She caught the eye of an elderly woman a few seats away who gave her a commiserating smile. Beside her, her husband had his nose buried in a newspaper. Usagi smiled back, and shook her head again. The other woman nodded sympathetically.

(add ruler isn't working, darn it!)

Usagi looked at the small green plant curiously. As far as she could tell, it wasn't much to look at, but Mamoru seemed to be keenly interested in it. Sure, it had pretty leaves, but it was just green. It didn't have any pretty flowers, and its leaves were very small.

Mamoru glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, and then reached out with a smile to pick a dying leaf off of the plant. He crumbled it up in his fingers for a few seconds, and then lifted it to his face. He nodded, and then turned to lift his fingers to Usagi's nose.

She wrinkled her nose and drew back for a moment, but then decided to trust him. She leaned forward and cautiously sniffed his fingers. Her eyes widened in shock as the scent of mint flowed in to her.

"Mint is used for many things," Mamoru said softly as he turned back to the small plant again. "People use it to calm their stomachs and nerves, wake themselves up, sooth away pain, and bring sweet dreams. Some people even believe that it can bring them money. They use it in food, drinks, medicine, and as a decoration."

He smiled as Usagi stared at the little plant in awe. He gently nudged her to another plant in the herb greenhouse. It was much bigger than the mint plant, but it, too, was relatively plain to look at. Usagi smiled as she realized that it at least had small purple flowers. Mamoru reached out and, snagged a small leaf, and handed it to her. Curiously, she rubbed it in her fingers, and then lifted it to her face to sniff. "That smells like the pillow Mako-chan gave me!" she exclaimed with a bright smile.

"It's lavender," Mamoru said as he stepped over to yet another plant. "Like mint, it's good for soothing people and for eating. People also use it to scent their clothes." Eagerly, Usagi followed after him to see what other magic he could bring from the little nondescript plants.

After wandering around the herb garden for a while, they finally reached the area that Usagi had been waiting for: the rose greenhouse. With an exclamation of delight she ran up to a large, red rose and leaned in for a sniff. She raised up with a frown, and then leaned down again. Mamoru waited patiently for the question he knew was coming.

"Mamo-chan... It doesn't smell. Why doesn't it smell?" Not waiting for an answer, she walked over to a beautiful white tea rose and sniffed it, too. "That one is very faint." She walked over to a climbing yellow rose. "Ah, that one smells nice..." She turned to look at him over her shoulder with a frown. "But... I thought all roses smelled. Yours do..."

He shook his head. "No, actually most of the modern ones don't, or at least not very much. They were bred to look pretty, not to smell." He watched Usagi ponder this, admiring the contrast of her pale blonde hair against the purple roses on the bush behind her.

"So, what are roses good for?" she finally asked. "Other than looking pretty, I mean." She looked at him expectantly.

Slowly, he walked over to her and touched her arm. "Roses like this?" he asked as he reached out to touch one of the yellow roses. "They are just for looking pretty." When she frowned in disappointment, he led her over to a small bush beside the outside wall. "Roses like this one, however," he said as he squatted down, "can be quite useful."

Usagi looked at the bush with a faint frown. All of its flowers were gone, but it looked like it was covered with bulky seed pods. Mamoru reached out and gently touched one of them. "This is called a rose hip."

Usagi drew in a startled breath, and interrupted him. "That is used in English tea, right Mamo-chan?"

He gave her a startled look, and then smiled. "Yes, sometimes."

"Mako-chan told me that," she said a little proudly as she leaned in to study the rose hip more closely.

"Mmm, well, like some of those herbs we were looking at, rose hips can be used to make a soothing tea. It is also supposed to be good for you."

Usagi waited, and then turned to look at him expectantly. He looked at her curiously. "And?" she asked. "What else is it good for?"

Mamoru shrugged as he stood up. "That's about it," he said. "Tea and decoration."

She frowned in disappointment, and then suddenly looked puzzled. "But which roses do we sugar and eat? And which ones make rose water? And which ones are used in perfume?"

"Ah, I guess these can be used for that, too," he said. She beamed. It wasn't often she could correct him. "But it takes a lot of petals to do that. More than it would take to do the same with, say, lavender." She frowned again, and looked around the greenhouse. It seemed a shame that her favorite flower wasn't nearly as useful as those nondescript herbs in the other room. He spoke again softly. "The great philosopher and poet, Petrarch, once said "Rarely do great beauty and great virtue dwell together." I guess it's the same with plants and flowers."

Slowly, she wandered over to an orange rose and reached out to brush its petals. As she studied its delicate, graceful form, she abruptly decided she didn't care. Its beauty bought her joy, and that was what counted. She bent down and sniffed at it delicately, and then raised her face with a bright smile. "Mamo-chan! This one smells wonderful!"

Mamoru studied her face again, and thought of what he had just said. Yes, rarely did great beauty and great virtue dwell together, but despite her faults his wife was one of those rare exceptions. He smiled as he walked over to sniff her find.

Usagi smiled down at his dark head and decided that that poet, whoever he was, didn't know what he was talking about. She was surrounded by people with great beauty and great virtue: Mamo-chan, Minako-chan, Rei-chan, and all the others. They weren't rare at all. She just hoped that one day, she could be like them.


	11. Welcome Silence

2/12/06

Title: Welcome Silence  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Silence  
Genre: General  
Version: Manga (post StarS / pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: All characters were created by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely converted them into paper cutouts to play with for a while.

Welcome Silence

Usagi stood in the entryway of her new house and watched as Hotaru paced around the living area. In her arms, she bounced six month old ChibiUsa who was screaming loudly and refusing to be calmed. Usagi smiled as she saw the pained, frustrated look on the younger senshi's face. She had worn that look herself quite often in the past few weeks, and could readily sympathize with the younger woman. Both women winced as ChibiUsa interrupted her sobs to let out another high pitched squeal. Luna, who was at her favorite perch on the back of the couch, put her head down and covered both of her sensitive ears.

Quickly, Usagi stepped into the room and put her grocery bags down. Hotaru caught the movement out of the corner of her eye, and spun defensively, tightening her hold on her little princess. Luna saw her move, spun to look also, and then relaxed. When she saw that it was just her queen, Hotaru relaxed a little and gave the older woman a rueful smile.

"Here, let me take her," Usagi said, trying to be heard over her daughter's wails. ChibiUsa jerked around at the sound of her mother's voice and reached for her.

"I've got her, Usagi-san," Hotaru said quietly as she instinctively tightened her arms around her young friend. "She's just fighting her nap as usual. Why don't you go put the groceries away?"

Usagi studied her for a moment, and then smiled in understanding and nodded. "If you insist," she said as she picked up the bags again. "They're your ears..." Looking a little worried, Luna rose and dashed off to the back of the house.

Hotaru braced herself. Sure enough, as soon as Usagi disappeared into the hallway leading to the kitchen, ChibiUsa began to scream loudly again. "Ma, ma, ChibiUsa-chan," Hotaru crooned soothingly. "You know she won't let you stay up either. Hush now. Hush..." She resumed her pacing and bouncing.

Usagi couldn't resist sneaking down the hallway and taking another peak around the corner. Although she would never admit it, it was nice to see ChibiUsa acting out for someone else for a change. It made her feel like she wasn't such a bad mother after all. Slowly, she went back to the kitchen, and began to put the groceries away.

It didn't take long for her to start feeling sorry for Hotaru again, however, and guilty for leaving her young friend with the screaming, teething brat her daughter had become. She finished putting the groceries away, walked down the hall, and peeked again around the corner towards the living area.

She immediately noticed that Hotaru was beginning to make progress. Miraculously, the younger woman had finally convinced ChibiUsa to lay her head down on her shoulder, and was resting one pale cheek on the baby's pink head as she gently rubbed the little girl's back. ChibiUsa's face was still scrunched and twisted in anger, and her screams were just as loud as before, but she wasn't fighting Hotaru. It wouldn't be long, Usagi knew, before she would finally tire herself out and give in completely.

Nodding to herself, Usagi returned to the kitchen and began to heat water for tea. She bustled around, listening to ChibiUsa's cries become softer, and then further and further in between as she prepared a late lunch for herself and her babysitter. She had just put the last of the rice balls and fried shrimp on the table when she heard ChibiUsa give a little hiccup and go silent.

Usagi waited, knowing that the end was almost near. She heard Hotaru murmur something to ChibiUsa, who began to cry again, more quietly this time. '_Two..._' she thought to herself as she turned around to get the tea from the kitchen. As she stepped back into the dining area, ChibiUsa was silent once more.

Slowly, Hotaru walked around the corner and into the dining room. She exchanged a smile with her queen, and raised an eyebrow at the lunch that was laid out and waiting. She nodded her appreciation, glided over to the old-fashioned basket cradle in the corner of the room, and squatted down. Carefully, she balanced the dozing baby against her shoulder while she reached out and began to open the blankets. Usagi hurried over to help her. Hotaru smiled up at her again, and then, putting a hand behind ChibiUsa's head, tilted the baby backwards and into the cradle.

The little girl came awake abruptly once more, and began to cry again. Usagi watched as Hotaru rubbed her stomach gently with one hand and began to rock the cradle expertly with the other. Slowly, ChibiUsa quieted again.

'_Three,_' Usagi thought knowing that her daughter was now down for at least a couple of hours. "Thanks, Hotaru-chan," she said quietly as they crouched by the cradle and watched the baby sleep.

"Any time, Usagi-san," Hotaru replied fondly as she rocked the cradle. Finally, she reached out and drew the blankets closed once more. "Any time."

Quietly, they stood up and made their way to the table. Neither woman spoke, and they tried to keep the dishes as quiet as possible so that they could enjoy the wonderful, welcome sound of silence for the brief time they would have it.


	12. Luck's Masquerade

2/13/06

Title: Luck's Masquerade  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Bad Luck/Good Luck  
Genre: Drama  
Version: Manga (post StarS / pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: Usagi, her husband, Luna, and their friends were all created by Takeuchi Naoko and have been used without permission. All others came from my poor, tired brain. I have merely converted everyone into paper cutouts to play with for a little while.

Luck's Masquerade

Usagi's azure gaze fell absently to her cup of green tea, and then widened in excitement when she saw what it contained. "Yes!" she exclaimed, heedless of the other patrons around her. "A lucky tea stalk," she added more quietly as she studied the floating debris in her drink. She grinned as she lifted the cup to her face for a sip. She needed all the luck she could get today.

Her eyes drifted to the portfolio that lay on the restaurant table. Today was the day she was applying for the Japan University College of Art, and she was extremely nervous. She was willing to take any good omens that she could find.

Her gaze continued across the portfolio to the bright pink umbrella she had leaned against the booth, and her smile widened. Yes, today was going to be a very lucky day. She had almost been out the door before she had heard the weather report on the radio station predicting rain this afternoon. Abruptly, her nerves disappeared and she felt unbeatable. Everything was going to be fine, just like Luna had said. There was nothing to worry about.

She looked up at the clock and then hurriedly drank her tea. It was time to go. If she left now, she would actually be five minutes early for her interview. She took that as another good omen. Placing the empty cup on the table, she snatched up her purse, gathered her portfolio, and quickly stood to exit the restaurant.

As she was going out the door, the waitress who had come to clean off her table tried unsuccessfully to get her attention. The woman looked at the abandoned umbrella, and then decided to put it behind the counter thinking that the small blonde woman would return for it soon.

Several hours later, Usagi pressed her hand against her heart and leaned against the side of one of the college buildings as the rain fell around her. The mysterious burning sensation had flared up once again in her chest, but that was not the cause for the tears in her eyes. Everything had gone horribly wrong. First, she had been crushed on the train and had missed her stop. That wouldn't have been too bad, except that she hadn't had all the extra time that she thought she did. Apparently, the clock in the restaurant had been almost fifteen minutes slow. Even if she had gotten off at the right stop, she would have been late.

As it was, she had been extremely late. And then, as she was running up the stairs, one eye on the threatening skies overhead and one on the students around her, the sky had opened up. She had been soaked through before she could reach shelter. Three long trails of water puddles had marked her path through the building. She had been on her way to the bathroom to dry off when she had seen a clock and suddenly realized how late she was.

She had decided to go to the office and either ask for a delay or a reschedule. Once she finally found the right room, she had been shivering with cold and painfully aware of the stares of the people around her. The secretary had shown some concern, but the professor she was supposed to see interrupted them before Usagi could ask for some more time.

The old man had studied her contemptuously, and then demanded that the interview start right away since she was finally there and he had a full schedule. Reluctantly, she had followed him into his freezing cold office, and handed over the damp portfolio she had somehow managed to protect from most of the rain. She had surreptitiously looked at the chairs in the room hoping that she could sit while she waited, but they were all covered in cloth. So, she had stood shivering uncomfortably in her wet clothes and shoes, and tried not to squish every time she shifted nervously.

Comfortably dressed in a warm suit, the professor had flipped through her portfolio rapidly and without comment. When he reached the end, he had sat back and looked at her with cold, brown eyes. "Tsukino-san, isn't it?"

"Y-Yes," she had stuttered, trying to keep her teeth from chattering.

"Tsukino-san, did you by chance bring the wrong folder with you?" he had asked coldly. "Your younger sister's, perhaps?"

Usagi's eyes had widened. "N-No sir. I d-don't think so. I d-d-don't have a y-younger sister."

He had arched an eyebrow, and then opened the portfolio and turned it around to face her. "Then this is your work?" he had asked as he flipped through the pages. Usagi had nodded as she recognized the still lifes and portraits. He had closed the portfolio, leaned back in his chair, and studied her shivering form. "You _do_ know what school this is, do you not Tsukino-san?" he had asked, sounding curious.

Usagi had nodded again. "Th-The Japan University C-College of Art, sir," she had stuttered with a sinking sensation in her gut.

"The Japan University College of Art. The most prestigious art school in all of Japan," he had agreed with a nod. "And what, Tsukino-san, did you think qualified you to apply to this prestigious college? These... sketches... are hardly the caliber of our applicants, much less the special few that we will admit." She had fought back tears as he had opened her portfolio again and criticized every picture. He had not made one positive comment in his entire fifteen minute tirade.

Finally, she had been allowed to escape. Her only solace was the fact that she had somehow managed not to break down and cry in front of him. No, the tears she had saved until she was outside in the rain again.

Slowly, she pushed herself away from the wall, and started the long journey home. Once again, the rain soaked her to the skin, but this time, she did not care. She ignored the shocked and sympathetic stares alike.

When she reached the train station, she suddenly realized that she was carrying her portfolio. Quickly, she put it in a nearby garbage can. '_No more_,' she vowed silently to herself. '_No more art. Maybe I'll see if Mako-chan can get me a job at the restaurant she works at._' With a tearful nod at that resolution, she proceeded down the stairs and into the station.

Unseen behind her, a middle aged man picked her portfolio up from the garbage can. He held it unopened as he watched her drenched form disappear into the shadowy distance.

When she reached the apartment, Luna gave her a shocked look. "Usagi-chan! What on earth? Where is your umbrella?" she asked as she jumped down from the back of the couch and hurried over to her mistress.

"I don't know," Usagi replied absently. "I lost it somewhere."

"Lost it? It was big and pink. How could you lose it? Come on, come on," she added as she wrapped herself behind Usagi's legs and pushed her gently. "Hurry up and get out of those wet clothes before you get sick." When Usagi didn't move, she looked curiously up into the young woman's face. "Usagi?" she asked curiously.

"He said my work was trash, Luna," Usagi finally whispered. She fought back the sob that wanted to come out. "He said it wasn't any good at all. Oh, Luna, I'm not good at anything!"

"That's not true," Luna argued. "You're good at a lot of things. Tell you what, why don't you go get your bathing stuff and go down and soak in the baths for a little while. That will make you feel better."

Usagi shook her head, but began to walk towards the bedroom. Luna followed, and watched her go into the shower room for her bathing stuff. Somewhat hampered by her four footed form, she opened a low dresser drawer and gently pulled at one of Usagi's favorite kimonos. She had just managed to get it out of the drawer when her mistress crouched beside her and picked it up. "Thank you, Luna," the young woman murmured. "I won't be too long. Mamo-chan is supposed to be home in time for dinner tonight."

About an hour and a half later, hair dry and considerably warmer, Usagi set the last of the dishes on the table. She started when the phone began to ring. With a frown, she hurried across the room and picked it up. "Hello?"

"Tsukino-san?" a familiar voice asked on the other end. Usagi's shoulders sagged with disappointment.

"Yes?"

"Tsukino-san, this is Takao from Minato General Hospital," the voice continued. "I am afraid Dr. Tsukino will be late tonight. A patient is being airlifted in from Chiba Ward, and he is required for the surgery."

Usagi sighed. '_What else can go wrong today?_' she wondered. Out loud, she thanked the nurse for calling. Slowly, she walked back to the table and began to put everything away. After all the disappointments of the day, she wasn't feeling too hungry, and she decided it would be too depressing to eat her soup and rice at a table set for two.

The disappointment became more bearable as time went by, but it did not fade entirely as she had hoped. Art had been the one non-senshi related subject that she thought she had been good at. She had hoped that she would be good enough to go to college like all of her friends, but now she found herself with long, empty days and more time on her hands than she knew what to do with.

And then, a mysterious package arrived for her. Usagi stared at it curiously. Its shape and weight seemed strangely familiar, but the address on the wrapping paper was completely unfamiliar. She sat down on the couch, and with Luna leaning over her shoulder, pulled off the brown paper. Her eyes widened when her portfolio slipped out and into her lap. She stared at it in surprise, and reached out with a trembling hand to touch its cover.

"Hey, Usagi-chan, what is that?" Luna asked, pointing one delicate paw to a folded up piece of paper that was still stuck inside the wrapping paper. Shakily, Usagi pulled it out and opened it up.

"Dear Tsukino-san," it read in typed kanji. "I believe this portfolio belongs to you. I found it laying around, obviously left by accident. Fortunately, you had left your address inside and I am able to return it. I would also like to ask your forgiveness. When I opened it up to look for a name, phone number, or address, I was caught by the artwork inside. If you would forgive me for being forward, I would like to invite you to call Mainichi, Inc. to arrange for an interview as a manga artist understudy. Best Regards, Ichijou Tenkou" Underneath the name, there was a phone number.

"I...Ichijou Tenkou!" Usagi exclaimed as the piece of paper fell from her suddenly numb hand. "_The_ Ichijou Tenkou? The creator and artist of _Eternal Heartbeat_?"

"You see, Usagi-chan?" Luna said smugly. "I told you that that jerk didn't know what he was talking about."

Usagi just stared at her discarded portfolio. Slowly, she opened it. Inside, neatly arranged, were all of the drawings she had taken to that fateful interview almost a month before. They had not been replaced with someone else's better work. She picked up the note paper again, and then jumped as Luna dropped the phone in her lap.

"What are you waiting for?" the little cat asked with a wink. "Call him. The least you can do is thank him for returning your artwork." Trembling and hardly breathing, Usagi began to dial the number at the bottom of the page.


	13. Try, Try Again

2/14/06

Title: Try, Try Again  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Glass (Valentine's Day)  
Genre: Humor  
Version: Manga (post StarS / pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: All characters were created by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely converted them into paper cutouts to play with for a while.

Try, Try Again

Usagi sat at her dining room table, stared at the glass plate in front of her, and sighed deeply. '_I'm glad Luna's not here,_' she thought to herself dejectedly. '_She'd just laugh. Or worse, say I told you so._'

Reluctantly, she tore her gaze away from the plate and looked at the disaster in her kitchen. Brown powder and white crystals covered her counters and part of her floor. In the sink, a pile of pots coated in chocolate were soaking. An open container of milk, a bag of sugar, a dark glass jar of vanilla, and an almost empty box of chocolate powder sat on the counter next to the stove.

'_I am not going to go buy him chocolate from the store again this year,_' she vowed to herself as she tightened her face and stood up again. '_I'm _not._ The fourth time will be the charm!_' She stepped into the kitchen and looked more closely at what remained of her ingredients. A look of despair crossed her face. '_Almost a whole bag of sugar, wasted. Most of the milk is gone, too. Butter! Do I have any butter left?_'

She panicked for a moment as she turned to the refrigerator, and then let out a breath of relief when she saw one final package of butter sitting on the shelf. She pulled it out, and put it on the counter beside the other ingredients. Then, she opened the cabinets to pull out yet another pot. She stared at the empty spot, and sighed again.

Reluctantly, she turned to the full sink. She stared at it in distaste for a long moment, and then began to clean it out so that she could wash a pot. Deciding to be efficient for once, she washed all of the dirty dishes, and then cleaned up the chocolate and sugar mess. As she finished, her eyes drifted to the clock for a time check, and she began to panic again. Mamoru was due home from the hospital in less than an hour, and she hadn't even started the next batch of chocolate.

Quickly and expertly, she measured out the dry ingredients and put them in a small pot with the milk. As she waited for it to come to a boil, she began to prepare her molds once more. She resisted the urge to turn up the heat on the pot or to stir the liquid. Makoto had finally convinced her that those two things would only ruin her chocolate and waste her time.

Finally, the candy thermometer read the right temperature. She turned off the heat and added the butter and vanilla, and quickly began to stir it. She bit her lip as her exhausted arm protested being forced to do this yet again. Just as the brown liquid began to loose its shiny surface, she began to spoon it into the little heart molds. Once the small ones were filled, she poured the remainder into a small, heart-shaped, glass pie pan.

With a tired sigh, she put the pot in the sink and filled it with water. Now, all she could do was wait for the chocolate to cool once more. She put away the remainder of the ingredients, and then went into the dining area to retrieve the plate on the table. Spotting an errant crumb, she pressed her forefinger on it and lifted it to her lips. "Mmmm..."

Yes, after five years Makoto had finally succeeded in teaching her how to make good Valentine's chocolate from scratch. Now, if only she could stop herself from eating all her work before she could give it away!


	14. Flowery Words

2/15/06 - Winner: Most Original Idea for February at smmonthly Live Journal Community

Title: Flowery Words  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Usagi &/or Mamoru (Optional Slash/Femmeslash)  
Genre: Romance  
Version: Manga (post StarS / pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: PG

Disclaimer: Mamoru, Usagi, and Minako were created by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely converted them into paper cutouts to play with for a while.

Flowery Words

"Um, excuse me, please."

Absently, Mamoru looked up from the chart he was studying and looked towards the soft tenor voice. "Yes?" he asked as he took in the man's neat appearance and white lab coat. Mamoru judged him to be about Makoto's height, and his golden hair was the same shade Usagi's had been when he had first met her. Fortunately, it was shorter although it was still long enough to brush his collar. "Can I help you?"

"Yes," the man replied a little shyly. "I am looking for Dr. Norita?"

Mamoru frowned. "I'm afraid he has already left for the day. I am his assistant, Tsukino. Maybe I can help you?"

"Oh. Hmmm... I could have sworn he said to come by today," the man replied looking confused. "He said that I was to see him directly, not go to the Human Resources office. Something about an immediate assignment?"

Mamoru's face cleared up instantly. "Ah. Dr. Abe is it? Yes, I do remember him mentioning something about that." He closed the chart and returned it to the stack. "Welcome to the team.," he said with a small smile. "If you will come with me, I will take you to Human Resources so you can be assigned properly."

"Oh, where are my manners?" the younger man said with a sudden smile. "I am Yoshie Abe, a new intern working under Dr. Norita. It is nice to meet you, Tsukino-sempai." He bowed politely. Mamoru returned the polite gesture, and then indicated that Dr. Abe should accompany him down the hall.

It was the start of a professional friendship, or so Mamoru thought. Several weeks later, when Mamoru forgot his lunch, Yoshie insisted on sharing his. Mamoru had been pleasantly surprised at how good the food had tasted, and Yoshie had shyly admitted to making it himself. After that, the younger man always insisted at least once a week that Mamoru try out some new recipe he was experimenting with.

One of the main reasons Dr. Norita had insisted that Yoshie be assigned directly to him from the beginning was readily apparent in the first surgery he assisted Mamoru with. Mamoru's ocean blue eyes had widened in appreciation when he saw the neat, tiny sutures the younger man made to close up an ugly, jagged cut. With such fine precision work, there was a chance that the scar would be negligible if it even scarred at all. When he had complimented the younger man, Yoshie had blushed slightly and insisted shyly that it was not a big deal. His green eyes, however, shone brightly at the compliment.

About three months after Yoshie had begun to work with him, Mamoru opened his desk drawer to look for a pen and stared in surprise. Inside the desk drawer was a long stemmed white rose. Slowly, he picked it up out of the drawer and brought it into the light to study. It had been dethorned, he noticed, and the cut stem had been placed into a stoppered test tube half full of water. He gave it a puzzled look, wondering who could possibly have left it in his desk, and then set it aside to continue his search for a pen.

That rose was only the first. Everyday after that, he received some form of the white flower. Sometimes it was a postcard. Other times, it was a skillful sketch. Once, after several weeks of receiving the mysterious gifts, it was an origami bull made out of paper decorated with red and white roses. After that, red roses began to appear as much as the white. He received foil wrapped rose shaped chocolates, poems, and a pen with a rose engraved under his name on its clasp.

It did not take long for all of the nurses and some of the interns to start gossiping about Dr. Tsukino's Secret Admirer. He thought at first that it was another of Dr. Schwartzkralle's tricks, but the German Head of Interns seemed to be just as puzzled about the gifts as he was. He caught her watching his office several times, apparently trying to determine who his admirer was so that she could turn it to her advantage. When the roses turned from the white of innocent devotion to the blood red of love, she redoubled her efforts.

After two months of mysterious gifts, Mamoru was seriously worried. He had not been able to discover the identity of his admirer, and now the roses were almost exclusively red. Not only that, there was always more than one now, usually three or five. The secretiveness and apparently growing passion worried him although he tried not to let that show. He was beginning to fear that the woman would do something drastic soon.

Finally, he decided to call for help. He placed the small nosegay of red roses that he had just found down on the desk, and rose to walk to the office door. Carefully, he looked up and down the hallway, and then closed the door securely. He returned to his desk, picked up the receiver, and then paused for a long moment. Finally, he dialed.

The phone rang several times before she finally picked up. "Hello?" she asked sounding sleepy.

"Minako-san, hi," he said softly.

"Who is this?" she asked curiously sounding more awake.

"It's Mamoru," he replied as he reached out to play with the pen. "I... I have a favor to ask you."

"Mamoru-san? Hi! Sure, what's up? Is it a surprise for Usagi-chan?"

"Um, not exactly. Could you meet me for dinner tomorrow night?" he asked hurriedly.

"Can I... can I what?" Minako sounded shocked. She certainly had not been expecting something like that, he knew, and he could just imagine the look on her face.

"Dinner," he said more abruptly as he pushed the pen across the desk. "I need to ask your advice on something."

"Oh. Oh, of course. Um... let's see... I have a recording session at 16:00, but you usually work until later anyway. Maybe... 21:00? That should give me time to finish the recording. We could do coffee instead of dinner, since it will be so late..."

He breathed a grateful sigh. "21:00 would be good. Shall I pick you up at the studio?"

She laughed. "That would certainly start some tongues wagging. Sure, why not. I'll meet you out front at 21:00."

"Thanks, Minako-san. See you then."

"Oh, I can't wait to hear what this is all about. Until then, Mamoru-san!" she replied. A little more relaxed, he put the receiver back in the cradle and then picked up his pen to start on the piles of paperwork on his desk.

The next night, he smiled as Minako waved brightly at him and pushed her way out of the lobby. Several young men and women stared first at him and then at her, and then began to whisper amongst themselves. Minako's grin just got wider as he held the door open for her to slip into his car. She kept up a stream of meaningless small talk as he navigated through the streets to a local café that was still open, and he used the time to go over the story once more in his mind.

Once they were seated and had placed their coffee orders, Minako quieted, leaned on the table, and looked at him expectantly. He shifted uncomfortably, and then took a deep breath. Quietly and succinctly, he told her the story of the roses. Her sky blue eyes widened in surprise, and then she began to grin widely.

"Oooo, I should have known something like this would happen," she chortled when the waitress brought over their coffee. "You are so handsome, it's hard for people to resist you." When he gave her a disbelieving look, she laughed. "Really! So, what are you going to do about it?" she asked curiously.

"It's not funny," he said sternly. "I'm really worried. If I could just find out who it is, I could try to talk with them and nip this in the bud. I think it's too late for that now. And what if it's all building up, like a pressure kettle? What's going to happen when the pressure becomes too great? Will she do something drastic?"

Minako's smile faded when she realized exactly how worried her king was. "True," she sighed as she picked up her coffee. She took a small sip of the hot liquid. "There is that. If she hasn't given any signs at all, she must be really shy and unsure of herself. She's also pretty smart, too, since you haven't been able to catch her yet." She stared at the table, and turned the situation over in her mind. Finally, she looked up. "She always leaves you flowers?" she asked thoughtfully.

He nodded. "Roses. Always roses in some shape or form."

"Red roses..."

"Well, they started off as white." When she gave him a curious look, he elaborated. "It started off as just single white roses, and then grew over the past few months to multiple red roses." He lifted his own coffee for a sip.

"White roses stand for innocence, silence, and devotion," she mused as she took another sip of her coffee. "And red roses mean love... Flower language..." Suddenly she nodded and sat up straighter. "Okay, here's what you do. Do you have a picture of Usagi-chan on your desk?" When he shook his head, she gave him a surprised glare. "Why not? You've only been married how long now?" She shook her head. "That would probably have stopped all of this to begin with." He just shifted uncomfortably, knowing that she was right.

"Okay, get a picture of Usagi-chan, a big, cute one, and put it on your desk. Better yet, make it one of the two of you together. Next to it, place a vase of red roses. Or, if you want to get really fancy, use red, white, and pink." When she saw his curious look, she explained. "Red for love, white for devotion, and pink for happiness. Don't you know the language of flowers?"

"I knew that red roses stand for love," he said a little defensively. She just shook her head with a wry smile.

"Women love flower language. You'd better learn it so that you don't send Usagi-chan the wrong message by mistake one day. Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah. Put the picture and roses on your desk. If she gives you another rose, then what you do is put a carnation in your desk. Hmmm... If you're worried about her doing something extreme, better make it two. One of them must be white." She nodded emphatically.

"White?" he asked.

"Mm-hmm. All carnations mean refusal, but white ones have a special meaning. A white carnation means that you are engaged or taken." She took another sip of her coffee, and then looked at him seriously again. "Red roses are for love, white for devotion, pink for happiness... and yellow for jealousy. Watch out for the yellow rose, or even worse, the orange lily. That means hatred and revenge."

His face tightened as an image of Usagi flashed through his head, and he nodded. "I understand. So, where can I find out about the other flowers?"

Minako smiled and relaxed. "I can lend you a book," she said helpfully. "Or, you can check one out of the library."

"I'll borrow yours, if you don't mind," he said as he took a larger sip of his coffee. "I never have time to get to the library anymore." His face looked wistful for a moment, and then he shook it off. "Thank you, Minako-san. I really do appreciate it." She just smiled and saluted him with her coffee cup.

It took a couple of days for him to get all the pieces together, but soon a large picture graced his desk. He was rather proud of the shot. Not only did it contain him and his beautiful wife, it was one of their wedding pictures. It had been taken in a bower of red roses, which showed up well against her white dress and his black tuxedo. In the background, her friends were waving, each of them wearing wedding dresses of their own. As he place the vase of roses beside the picture, he wondered again absently why they had all worn wedding dresses that day. Even little Hotaru had been dressed as a bride. He had always been afraid to ask. The smirks on their faces told him that he probably would not appreciate the answer.

He stepped back from the desk and admired the effect. As his eyes traced Usagi's smiling face, he began to smile himself. The smile grew wider as he wondered if he would ever be able to get any work done ever again at that desk. The picture was almost as distracting as the real thing.

"Oh? Tsukino-sempai, who is that?" Yoshie asked as he walked over to stand beside Mamoru. He frowned a little when he saw that Mamoru was standing beside the small blonde.

"That is my wife, Usagi," Mamoru said, still smiling. "It's a picture from our wedding a few years ago."

Yoshie looked a little surprised. "You are married, Tsukino-sempai? I didn't know that."

It was Mamoru's turn to look surprised. He turned to look at the younger doctor in puzzlement. "Surely, I've mentioned her," he said uncertainly. Yoshie shook his head. "That's hard to believe," Mamoru continued in a puzzled voice. "Yes, I've been married for almost four years now." His gaze turned to the picture of his wife again, and he smiled once more.

Yoshie hummed noncommittally, and then turned to the older doctor. "Oh, Tsukino-sempai, Dr. Norita is looking for you. I think he wants to go over the files for the patient in room 425 again." Mamoru started, thanked him, and hurried out of the room.

Yoshie stayed behind and looked at the wedding picture once again. His hand clenched around the single red rose boutonnière in his pocket as he hissed jealously. Abruptly, he turned and stormed out of the office.

When he did not receive any more gifts for several days, Mamoru began to relax. Obviously, his secret admirer had understood the message that Minako had told him to send. He was a little curious that he did not receive a message in response, but he shrugged it off.

Until, almost a week to the day after he had added the new decoration to his desk, he opened the drawer to find a small spray of silk flowers. A single pink carnation was surrounded by yellow camellias. When he looked up towards his picture, he realized that a single yellow rose had been added to his vase. With a taut expression, he reached up and plucked it out. '_Yellow rose for jealousy... But at least there isn't an orange lily. That was the worst one, right? Carnations are for rejection...'_ He looked at the bouquet in puzzlement. '_Why would she send me a carnation? Unless she's rejecting my marriage?_' He could hardly wait to get home so that he could look it up in the book he had ostensibly bought for Usagi.

Later that night, he managed to sneak a look at the book without Luna or Usagi catching him. He learned that the pink carnation also had a special meaning, disappointment, and that the yellow camellias symbolized longing. As he was closing the book, another entry caught his eye. He studied it for a long moment, and then nodded as he finished closing the book.

He left for work a little early the next morning, and made a stop on the way. When he reached the office, he pulled an assortment of flowers out of his bag, and arranged them carefully in his desk drawer. Then, he lifted a small potted plant out of the bag and set it on the desk. The cute little blue forget-me-not flowers waved gently under the white roses on Usagi's dress. He nodded, threw the bag away, and then gathered his pen and clipboard to start his work day.

When Yoshie slipped into the office a short while later, he immediately noticed the new addition to the desk. He fought back tears as he translated the message Mamoru had sent him. His wife was his true love.

Slowly, hesitantly, he opened the drawer. He sucked in a breath, and the tears began to fall when he saw the flowers waiting for him. A yellow tulip to say that his love was not returned. A white carnation to say that Mamoru was promised elsewhere and intended to honor that promise. And, a daffodil to convey respect. Trembling, he lifted the bouquet out of the drawer, and hid it in his pocket. He couldn't bring himself to stick another yellow rose in the bouquet although he had brought one just for that purpose.

Another week passed, and Mamoru began to relax once more. He had noticed that his message had been taken, but he still did not know who his secret admirer had been. And then, he found a post card sitting on his desk. It was a close up of a spray of multicolored sweat peas. He didn't need the book to know what this message meant. His secret admirer had wished him farewell. He could only hope that she found someone who could understand and appreciate her sensitive spirit.


	15. Thicker Than Pride

2/16/06 - Winner: Best Drama and Best Characterization of Mamoru for February at smmonthly Live Journal Community

Title: Thicker Than Pride  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Usagi &/or Mamoru (Optional Blood)  
Genre: Drama / Tragedy  
Version: Manga (pre and post)  
Rating: R

Disclaimer: Mamoru, his wife, and their friends were all created by Takeuchi Naoko. Most of Mamoru's family is entirely my own fabrication. I have merely converted them into paper cutouts to play with for a while.

_A/N: This story ties in with an epic arc that I am writing set between StarS and Crystal Tokyo entitled Koi no Senshi ja Irarenai. Although that arc is not complete enough to release, this story is too good to hold back from you and can really stand alone. Enjoy!_

_NOTE RATING ABOVE! Rated for implied violence, death, and blood in the first third. _

**Thicker Than Pride**

_August 3, 1981_

"Dr. Norita!"

The young doctor's shoulders tightened at the call. He was tempted to ignore it and keep walking. It had been a very long shift at the end of a very long week, and he wanted nothing more than to slip into a bath and soak for three hours before crawling into a bed to sleep for a week.

But, something in the voice, an urgent quality, made him reluctantly stop and turn around. He watched in surprise as one of the nurses from the Emergency Room literally ran down the hall in an attempt to catch him. He always thought nurses were forbidden to run, especially in high stress areas like the ER, ICU, and trauma units. It implied that something was very wrong. Without thinking, he began to walk back towards her.

Immediately, she stopped running, although she still bustled along quickly. When she was close enough to be heard without shouting, she spoke. "Dr. Norita, Dr. Tanaka asked me to catch you," the woman said in an out of breath voice. "There's been a terrible crash on Mt. Nokogiri, four victims, three critical being airlifted here." She turned and began to hurry back to the emergency room, with Dr. Norita following closely behind. She lowered her voice a little and began to list the injuries that he would be seeing.

Dr. Norita felt himself pale. A horrible crash, indeed. If half of what the nurse told him was true, and it very likely was, only one of the patients might make it to Minato General Hospital, and that one might never wake up. He stretched his legs, and passed her, hurrying to the scrub room.

Five minutes later, scrubbed and prepped, he stood waiting in the operating room. The doors opened, and the emergency crew rushed in a gurney. One nurse held an oxygen mask to the man's face, while another held up an i.v. bag. All Dr. Norita could make out was the man's dark hair.

"They lost the woman," the nurse with the i.v. bag said as he turned towards the doctor. Dr. Norita noticed that his face was very pale. "I'm surprised they even put her on the 'copter," he added softly as he maneuvered out of the way of his teammates.

"Ready, set..." the head nurse called out. Smoothly, three nurses transfered the man to the operating table.

Dr. Norita looked down curiously as the anesthesiologist took the i.v. bag away from the nurse and injected a small amount of sedative into the line. Suddenly, his eyes widened and his face paled. He felt the room fade around him, until all he saw was that pale, familiar face.

"Dr. Norita? Dr. Norita, are you all right?" he heard the head nurse call faintly. "Ryuu-sama..." he whispered in shock. There, on the table, was his best friend, Ryuu Soñar. That meant the woman had to be... And the boy...

"Code!" one of the nurses yelled frantically as a long, steady tone suddenly broke through the pre-op noise. Dr. Norita jerked, and his dark eyes flew to the heart monitor.

"No you don't, Ryuu-san," he said fiercely as he strode to the table. He felt himself instinctively distancing himself from the man on the table until it was no longer a friend but a body. He welcomed the change, knowing that it would help him to be more effective. "Don't you dare die on me. You can't let the old man win that way," he muttered as he reached for the paddles. "Extra low," he ordered the technician in a slightly louder voice. "You die, and what is going to become of your son, eh?" he muttered again, turning to the man on the operating table. "Fight it. Fight!" His eyes searched desperately for a place on the shattered chest to administer the shock. "Don't you dare die on me..."

Several minutes later he stared numbly at his friend. The technician slowly reached over and turned off the heart monitor as the head nurse gently took the bloody paddles out of the doctor's hands. "He lost too much blood," she said in a soft, consoling voice. "There was nothing you could do."

Her words barely registered on him. His mind was far away, reliving the good times and bad times he and his friend had shared since they had first met as freshmen in college. The staff and nurses gave him concerned looks as they cleaned up the mess and prepared the body for transportation down to the morgue. Finally, he took a deep, shuddering breath and walked out of the surgery.

He leaned against the wall, and fought back the tears. '_Four victims. Three critical being airlifted here._' The ER nurse's words suddenly came back to him. His eyes widened as he suddenly pushed away from the wall. '_They lost the woman. I'm surprised they even put her on the 'copter._' '_...a terrible crash on Mt. Nokogiri, four victims..._' '_I'm surprised they even put her on the 'copter._' "No," he whispered as he hurried down the hall. "Oh no..."

Only years of training kept him from running through the halls as he raced towards the morgue. When he reached the large silver doors, he paused. Suddenly, he wasn't sure he really wanted to know. He finally pushed them open, and walked into the cold room.

His eyes went immediately to a bloody sheet covering a small body near the door. It looked odd. Something was making it tent up right around the midsection of the body. Knowing that his friend's unborn child should not be showing yet, Dr. Norita looked around the room for another unprocessed body. He frowned as he realized that this was the only one.

He clenched his jaw and made himself walk over to it. Taking several shallow breaths, he gently lifted the sheet. Maria's face was barely recognizable. Flying glass had left a jigsaw pattern of cuts and gashes. Matted, blood soaked strands of her fine blonde hair stuck to her face as if they were threads trying to stitch up some of the wounds. But, it wasn't her face he was interested in. Carefully, he folded the sheet down until he could see her abdomen area and whatever was making the sheet stick up. A thick, sturdy tree branch had impaled her right through the abdomen where her unborn child should be resting. The rescue crew had obviously left it in place, hoping to use it to use it like a cork against further blood loss. He shoulders began to shake as he dropped the sheet. He fell to his knees beside the gurney as the tears began to fall.

Slowly, he pulled himself back together and stood. He gently pulled the sheet over the body of his friend's wife once more, and then exited the room. There was still one family member left to check on.

It took him a while to locate the child. Apparently, he had not had to have surgery after all. As he stood by the boy's bedside and studied his pale face, Dr. Norita said a silent prayer to Maria, and thanked her for always insisting that her son always wear a seat belt. That, and his position in the back seat, had let Mamoru escape with nothing more serious than bumps, bruises, and scratches. While the nasty bump on his head was a cause for concern, it was not life threatening.

"Dr. Norita?" He turned and looked at the nurse who had called him. "Sir? Do you know him? The rescue crew was unable to find any identification in the wreck We do not know a next of kin to contact."

He turned and looked at the unconscious boy once more. And then, his face tightened. '_You disowned your son,_' he thought angrily to his friend's powerful father. "_You made him give up his family, his heritage, and his name, and all because he loved a wonderful woman who did not happen to be Japanese. But, you cannot disown this boy any longer_. _I won't let you, Chiba-sama. You are all he has left. Poor child..._'

"Dr. Norita?" the nurse asked again, interrupting his thoughts.

"Chiba," he said tightly without turning around. "His name is Mamoru Chiba. His parents were Ryuu and Maria Chiba, although they officially went by Maria's family name of Soñar. His nearest next of kin is his grandfather, Kotaro Chiba."

(aaaaaaaxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)

Kotaro Chiba lifted his gaze from the profitability report, and looked towards the door. "Come," he called in response to the soft knock. He watched impassively as his long-time personal assistant entered the room. A very faint frown crossed his expression when he noted the man's tight shoulders and rigidly controlled expression. He had not seen Iwao Usui look that upset in many years.

"I have news," Iwao said softly after he had bowed in front of his master's desk. His face tightened, and he paused. The pause lasted so long that Kotaro was tempted to prod him, but the look in Iwao's brown eyes held him still. Finally, the younger man continued. "Your son is dead."

Kotaro felt his gut clench as if against a blow. He narrowed his eyes furiously. Iwao knew better than to mention Ryuu in his presence! Everyone did! "I have no son," he replied tightly as he glared at his assistant.

Iwao's face tightened even more. "You are correct, sir. You have no son."

That response made Kotaro blink. He went over the brief conversation once more, and then realized that Iwao was not agreeing with him about his disownment of the ungrateful boy. No, Iwao was stating a simple fact. Somehow, Ryuu had died. Kotaro's hands tightened on the report, but decades of controlling his expression helped him to smother any other sign of shock and grief.

Finally, he trusted himself to speak again. "If I have no son, why are you here?" he asked as he forced his eyes back to the report.

"In the hospital, there is an orphaned boy who bears your blood," Iwao replied tightly. "He has not regained consciousness since the accident that claimed _both_ of his parents." His emphasis on the word 'both' was slight, but Kotaro heard it clearly, and his lips tightened. "The hospital wishes to know what you want to do with him once he recovers."

Kotaro glared at the paper in front of him. He knew he had a grandson. Iwao had made sure to leave the newspaper announcement laying innocently on his desk where he could not help but see it. Shortly after that, Ryuu had reluctantly contacted him, apparently at the woman's urging, and offered to introduce him to the boy. He had hung up without a word, silence his only answer, and they had never attempted to contact him again.

But now, what could he do? Not only was that woman a foreigner, she had no known family in Japan. She had come from Mexico to Japan to study Foreign Relations, and had never returned home. On top of that, she wasn't even pure Mexican. Ryuu had once commented that her hair and eyes came to her from her Grecian mother. As tempted as Kotaro was to let the boy go to the woman's family, there was no way he could let someone with his prestigious bloodline be raised by unknown, mix blooded foreigners a half a world away.

"He will come here," Kotaro finally said reluctantly. "I will decide what to do with him later."

Two weeks later, Kotaro studied the young boy who stood in front of his desk. The child was nervous, but fought to hide it. There was no denying that this child was Ryuu's son. He looked almost exactly the same as his father at the same age. Only his eyes were different. Instead of warm, caramel brown they were the blue of a clear, deep ocean.

"I am you grandfather," Kotaro said abruptly. He watched with an impassive expression as the boy jumped. "You will be staying with me from now on. A tutor will be showing up tomorrow morning to begin your lessons which will take place in the school room. You will not be late. You will not run in the house, nor will you interrupt me at work. One day, when I die, you will become the head of the Chiba family and of Chiba Industries. You are to study hard so that you will be worthy of that honor. Do you understand me?"

"Y-Yes sir," Mamoru said in an awed voice.

Kotaro nodded. "Then Iwao will take you up to your room. I shall see you at dinner. Be sure to dress appropriately." He waved a dismissal and turned back to his interrupted paperwork.

"Yes sir," Mamoru said again as he bowed. He walked slowly out of the room, awed by the powerful looking man and a little overwhelmed by the big house he found himself in. He was still sad, lonely, and afraid, but he hoped that when his grandfather was not busy he might be able to answer some of the questions which raced around in his head. Questions like: 'Who am I?', 'What were my parents like?', and most importantly 'What am I like?'.

(aaaaaaaxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)  
_August 20, 1989_

Mamoru stood beside the picture of his grandfather and listened, stone faced, to the offers of condolence. The powerful old man had passed away a few days before, and dignitaries from all over Japan had come to his memorial to honor him and study his young heir. There were old men who had fought by his side during World War II, and young men who had fought against him in the board rooms. There were noblemen, politicians, and reporters. There were cousins, both those who had active roles in the family business and those who wished that they did.

Mamoru's lips tightened just slightly as one of the latter approached him and tried to discreetly remind him how he had always supported Mamoru over the past eight years. Mamoru did not trust the young man, even though he was smart and would be a good addition to the central operating team of Chiba Industries.

Finally, it was over, and Mamoru was able to hide in the limousine. After a long silence, he turned his cold blue eyes towards his new personal assistant. "Usui-san," he said suddenly. Iwao turned to look at him in surprise and expectation. "I have decided," Mamoru continued. "I am going to go to Azobu."

Iwao nodded, not really surprised. His new, young master had always wanted to go to school with other people his own age. His former, old master would never have allowed it. "I will make arrangements, Chiba-sama," he responded quietly.

One corner of Mamoru's mouth quirked up. "I'm not finished," he corrected softly. His half smile faded. "I want an apartment as well." Iwao looked at him in surprise. "You and Miura-san will be in charge of all aspects of Chiba Industries. You can break it up and sell it for all I care. All I ask for is enough money to live off of and to pay for my schooling until I can get my medical degree."

"Chiba-sama?" Iwao asked in shock. He knew that the young man had never had any interest in the workings of Chiba Industries, but he had never thought that he would throw it away entirely.

"I'm serious, Usui-san," Mamoru said with a nod. He looked out the window as the limousine pulled through the gates of what was now his house. "The new semester starts in two weeks. That should be long enough to make all of the arrangements."

Iwao was silent until they reached the house. When the car came to a stop, Mamoru turned to look at him expectantly. Reluctantly, he nodded. "As you wish, Chiba-sama," he said quietly. Mamoru nodded. As he left the car, Iwao swore silently to himself that he would not let his young master destroy his heritage. Mamoru may not want it, but it was his regardless.

Oh, he could understand the boy's reluctance. Never in the eight years that he had lived in the Chiba mansion had he truly accepted that he belonged there. Kotaro had not helped. He had been determined to never talk about the boy's parents, and his mother, in particular, had been a taboo subject. Iwao knew that Mamoru had made one covert attempt to locate any of his mother's family. That had apparently ended without any success. Add his questions about his heritage to his desire to be a doctor, his independent streak, and his quite natural teenage desire to rebel, and Iwao realized that he should have seen this coming.

As he walked into his office, his gaze was caught by a picture of Kotaro and Mamoru standing side by side at a war memorial. They were wearing identical blank expressions to match their identical kimono. Iwao had to smile as he walked over to sit behind his desk. To him, that picture emphasized something that the two Chibas had never admitted but was so obvious to anyone who knew them well. It amazed Iwao, sometimes, that Mamoru could doubt his heritage since he and his grandfather were so very much alike.

Still smiling slightly, he reached out and picked up the receiver from the phone. He paused a fraction of a second in thought, and then dialed Miura's home number. He knew that the older gentleman would help him come up with a way to give Mamoru what he wanted without putting Chiba Industries in any kind of upheaval.

(aaaaaaaxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)  
_May 15, 2002_

Mamoru stared at the glass doors of the tall building. Years before, he had decided to never walk into that building again if he could avoid it. In spite of the help he knew he could find inside, he still did not want to enter. It still felt unreal. He had never been able to remember anything about his life before that fateful car accident almost twenty one years before, and a lot of the questions still remained.

They no longer bothered him. He had made his own life and reputation. He was a well respected trauma doctor. He had good friends who would stand by him through anything. He had a beautiful wife who couldn't care less what kind of family he came from. She cared about his pain and uncertainty, but it did not matter to her if the family he came from were rich or poor, heroes or criminals, crazy or sane. She was always quick to remind him that she and their daughter were his family now. And, until two days ago, he had had a daughter who cared even less about where he came from as long as he gave her an occasional piggyback ride and told her a bedtime story.

Thoughts of ChibiUsa finally made him climb the steps and push his way through the door. The longer he stood out front wrestling with his ghosts, the longer his missing daughter went without the money and connections Chiba Industries could provide him.

Mamoru made his way to the elevator, and took it up to the executive floor. The ride up the skyscraper seemed to take forever, but finally he stepped out onto the plush brown carpet. Absently, he noted the subtle design of the family crest which had been woven into the carpet. He walked down the hall and stopped in front of a door which still seemed familiar after so many years. Raising his hand, he knocked.

"Come," a muffled voice called. Mamoru opened the door and stepped into Iwao's office. He shut the door gently, then took two steps into the room and bowed respectfully to the older gentleman. Iwao just smiled, rose, and returned his bow.

"Chiba-sama, welcome. What can I do for you?" Iwao asked with a slight smile.

"Usui-san. Thank you for seeing me on such short notice," Mamoru said respectfully. He stopped when Iwao waved his hand.

"Not at all, Chiba-sama. I will always have time for the head of the Chiba family and Chiba Industries." When Mamoru looked at him in surprise, Iwao's smile widened. "Yes, sir, that is right. You are still officially the head of Chiba Industries. In fact, your office is just down the hall if you ever need to use it. You will find an up-to-date summary of all the important happenings since you left for school sitting on your desk if you are interested in it." His smile faded again. "But, I know you are not here for that. Again, Chiba-sama, how may I serve you?"

Mamoru was silent as he stared at Iwao. He had hoped that the older man would remember him, and that he would be willing to help him for old time's sake. But he had truly never expected anything like this.

Iwao shook his head, and then stepped around his desk. "Please, let me show you something, sir," he said as he walked to the door and gestured Mamoru out of it. He led Mamoru back to the elevator and pushed the button for a lower, public floor. The quick ride passed in silence, and then Iwao ushered Mamoru down the hall and into what appeared to be an art gallery.

"I believe you will recognize most of these pictures," he said as he led Mamoru around the exhibit. "They are all famous people in the Chiba family history." As they walked, Iwao interspersed his stories with a request to note a nose here and a chin there. Finally, they stood in front of a picture of Mamoru's grandfather.

"And, of course you remember Kotaro-sama," Iwao said. "You can see that the family chin and nose are still there, although his eyes came from his mother's family." He studied the picture of his old friend in silence for a moment, and then spoke again. "He was a very proud man, your grandfather." Mamoru nodded silently. "When the War ended and most of the noble families were forced out of politics, he didn't just want to retire to a life of leisure. He was still a young man, about your age, and he had been raised to work. So, he founded Chiba Industries. He started off in construction, since that is what the country needed so desperately at the time. With his contacts, discipline, honor, and a few good personnel decisions, he grew it from a little shop to an international company spanning many industries. He never changed, though. He stayed hardworking and honorable." Iwao turned to look at his master. "And he still had a fierce pride in his family heritage."

He stepped to the next picture in line which was somewhat smaller. Mamoru's eyes widened. Except for the eyes, it was almost like looking into a mirror. The slim young man was smiling. Beside him, a young woman with short blonde hair laughed at something. "And so, when his only son decided to marry a foreigner," Iwao continued, "he was very upset. They had several big fights, and finally your father just left and never came back. Kotaro-sama disowned him, and the two rarely had any contact after that. He removed all pictures of your father from the house and refused to let anyone speak of him again. Until he died, that is."

Iwao moved on to the next picture. Mamoru's eyes widened again when he realized that it had been taken at his graduation ceremony from medical school. "When Ryuu-sama and his wife died, Kotaro-sama took you in. He did more than that. He reinstated your father and you into the family records." Iwao turned to look at him. "I know you have always had questions, sir, but I hope this helps put some of them to rest. You truly are Mamoru Chiba, head of both Chiba Industries and the Chiba family."

He paused once more to give Mamoru time to absorb the information. He watched as his master's eyes flickered back and forth between the last three pictures, searching for similarities and differences. "So, once again I ask, how may I serve you, Chiba-sama?"

Mamoru took a deep breath and turned to the older man. His ocean blue eyes were very serious as they came to rest on Iwao's patient face. As he opened his mouth to speak, a desperate worried look entered them. "My daughter, the heir to Chiba Industries, has been kidnapped," he said solemnly.

Iwao's eyes widened in shock. "Your... your..."

Mamoru nodded. "My daughter. We do not know who or why. We do know that they are ruthless, and apparently do not want a ransom." Mamoru drew a small picture out of his pocket, and Iwao studied the little family. He sucked in a breath as he realized how very young the little girl was. "She'll turn two next month," Mamoru said quietly. "Can you help me find her?"

Iwao looked up at him steadily. "Of course, Chiba-sama. Let's go back to your office and get started."


	16. Psychic Games

2/17/06

Title: Psychic Games  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Usagi &/or Mamoru (optional: Lab Rats)  
Genre: Humor  
Version: Manga  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: Usagi, Mamoru, and all of their friends were created by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely converted them into paper cutouts to play with for a while.

Psychic Games

"Hey, young lady, have you ever wondered if you were psychic?"

Usagi stopped to look at the strangely dressed man. She stumbled a little as Mamoru, who held her hand, kept walking. After expertly tugging her hand free, she turned to study the man curiously. "Excuse me?"

He was a tall man, wearing a black labcoat and a stethoscope. That in itself was not strange. But, the sensing end of the stethoscope was shaped like a star, and the lab coat had odd geometric shapes stitched out on it in crystal. He smiled at her, his teeth even and white, and she swore his black eyes sparkled at her.

"Have you ever wondered if you were psychic?" the man asked again as Mamoru turned to see what had distracted his young wife now.

"We-e-ell...," Usagi drawled thoughtfully.

"Usa, let's go," Mamoru said as he reached for her hand again. He glared protectively at the other man who just smiled back at him.

"Oh, are you a couple? Why, how perfect! We are really in need of couples who think they are deeply bonded to one another to test. So, are you?"

"Oh yes," Usagi replied brightly resisting Mamoru's attempts to draw her away. "Very deeply."

"Wait, don't tell me," the man replied as he held up a graceful hand. "You sometimes know what the other is going to say before they say it. And sometimes, you know exactly what he wants to eat. Or, he knows exactly what you want to drink without you having to tell him." Usagi nodded excitedly, her eyes wide with wonder. Mamoru gave up trying to tug her away, and simply stood beside her with crossed arms.

"I knew it!" the man exclaimed. "I knew you were perfect for this! You see, we're having a free screening inside. The psychology club at the university is looking for psychics to participate in a study, and our high school group is trying to help them."

"You're in high school?" Mamoru asked skeptically.

The man merely smiled, unfazed by his hostile and scornful expression. "Oh no, of course not," he replied. "I am the sponsor of our school's psychic club. My students are inside running the actual screening tests with the help of some of the college students." He leaned confidentially towards Usagi, taking care not to get too close. "The student who was going to do this part got sick today. I couldn't let anyone else miss the exciting work, now could I, so I volunteered to take her spot." Usagi smiled, and nodded in agreement while Mamoru's expression tightened.

"Anyway, I think you'd be perfect for this," he said as he straightened back up. "If you'd just step inside, we can do a preliminary screening. We'll let you know right away if you meet the criteria for being sent on to the university for their study. And I bet you do. I have a good feeling about you, yes I do."

Usagi drew back towards Mamoru just slightly when the man held his hand out to her. He looked at her expectantly, while Mamoru's glower deepened. "It's just over this way," the man said smoothly as he turned to indicate the door. He looked at Usagi once again. "Oh, you have a question first. Of course, how silly of me. No, there's really nothing to it." Usagi's eyes widened again. "All they do is show you some numbers, and you think to your boyfriend what they are and he writes them down. Then, they'll show some pictures to him, he thinks them to you, and you write them down. If you want, there is another game where you can try and guess what card comes next. Really, it's very simple, and it won't take much time at all. And for someone who's made for each other, the way you two obviously are, it'll be a snap."

He opened the door and smiled expectantly at Usagi. She looked inside the building, and then up at her husband. "Well... It sounds like fun..." she said. Mamoru's face darkened. "Please, Mamo-chan? He said it wouldn't take long..."

"Oh, and did I mention the prize?" the man asked suddenly. He shook his head. "How silly of me. Not everyone can be sent up to the university for their study, of course, so we have a small door prize for everyone who participates. And, if you get the most right, you get an even better prize." He leaned confidentially towards Usagi again. "They're giving away kitty and puppy plushes," he said softly with a wink.

Usagi's face lit up, and she turned towards Mamoru again. "Please, Mamo-chan? Please?" Finally, he sighed and lowered his arms. Usagi grinned triumphantly, and turned towards the door. Before she could move, her husband grabbed her arm.

"I go first," he said with a stern look. She blinked up at him in surprise, and then nodded. She frowned in puzzlement as she followed him into the building.

"Ah, welcome!" a young girl dressed in a brown high school uniform said with a smile. "You are here for the psychic test. Wonderful. Please fill out this form, and give it to that guy over there." Usagi smiled politely at her as Mamoru took the clipboard reluctantly.

He reached for her hand again and tugged her gently to one side. She stood on her tiptoes and tried to read the form as he held it up and studied it. "What's it say?" she finally asked.

His ocean blue eyes flicked towards her, and then back to the form. "Oh, just the usual basic stuff. Age, sex, school level, name, address...," he replied as he reached for the attached pen. Quickly and efficiently he filled it out. Usagi blinked as she read his answers, and then looked at him inquisitively again. Seeing the protective look still in his eyes, she sighed, but didn't say anything.

"Thank you,...," the boy looked down to the clipboard that Mamoru handed him. His face creased curiously for a moment. "Ryuu-san?" he asked as he looked up to confirm he had read the kanji right. Mamoru nodded, and the boy smiled. "Welcome, Ryuu-san and Tora-san. If you will just come this way, we'll get started."

He led them to a small room. "Alright, now, Ryuu-san you sit at that table, and Tora-san you sit at this one."

Usagi blinked uncertainly, and then realized that Mamoru had given her name as Tora. She grinned as she moved to her chair, imagining what Luna would have to say about such an alias. She was still grinning when the door opened and two more people entered the room. The tall, orange haired girl who came to sit in front of her blinked and then smiled back.

"Hi, I'm Megumi," the girl said quietly as her partner introduced herself to Mamoru.

"Hi, Megumi-san, I'm..." Usagi paused, and thought frantically for a second. '_Oh, yeah_,' she thought to herself as she remembered the other part of the name Mamoru had given her. Her grin widened. "I'm Yuri. It's nice to meet you."

Megumi quirked an eyebrow at Usagi's unusual amusement, but put it aside as she explained the experiment to the blonde haired woman. Usagi's grin faded as she concentrated, and her expression slowly grew puzzled. "I do what again?" she asked in confusion as she glanced at Mamoru. He ignored her. "You put this big piece of cardboard between us, and then slip a card under it. I'm supposed to look at the card, and think really hard at Ma... Ryuu-san, and then..."

"You write it down on the blue paper. Don't use the pink yet," Megumi said patiently. "Some people find it helps their thinking if they imagine it out stroke by stroke to their partner. And, it helps us keep track of your answers. When you are finished with it, you slip the card through the slot and back to me again."

"O-o-okay," Usagi said with another glance at Mamoru who was taking his seat. "That sounds simple enough."

"Sure," Megumi said brightly. "Are you ready to get started?" She leaned forward with a grin. "And no more sneaking looks at your hunky boyfriend. That's the other thing the cardboard is for." Usagi blinked in surprise and chuckled weakly. "Okay, here we go," Megumi said as she lifted the cardboard divider into place.

For the next several minutes, silence reigned in the room. Every now and then, Usagi would frown and glare over towards the area where Mamoru was sitting. When she had finished her set of twenty cards, Megumi quietly explained that she was use the pink paper now and clear her mind. When a picture came to her, she was supposed to draw it on the paper beside one of the numbers. Usagi presumed that she was supposed to go in order the way she had with the others.

The room got silent again, and this time Usagi sighed resignedly every couple of minutes. She drew the pictures that came into her mind. Once, she had to stifle a giggle. Her cheeks flushed faintly as she drew a picture of two mountain peaks with a road running between them. When she was finished, Megumi took the cardboard divider down and smiled at her.

"And now, last one. I'm going to put a deck of cards in front of you, and you write down what the card on top is, okay?"

Usagi nodded, and then glanced at Mamoru. She shrugged when he ignored her once again, and then turned her attention to the cards in front of her. Her eyes narrowed as she concentrated fiercely, and then drew a symbol on her paper. Megumi moved the card to one side, and looked expectantly at her. Usagi concentrated fiercely, and then slowly drew another symbol. Slowly, they worked their way through 20 cards.

"All right," Megumi said as she picked up the cards that she had discarded. "Let's check this one first, okay?" Usagi nodded eagerly. As Megumi called out the shapes, Usagi marked her answers. In the end, she frowned angrily at the paper. It looked like one of her middle school test papers, all covered in x's and wrong answers.

"Hey, don't be so disappointed, Yuri-san," Megumi said comfortingly. "30 is about average. It just means this isn't your strong point. I bet you did better on the other test."

Usagi nodded slowly, knowing very well that she hadn't. "Maybe...," she said reluctantly. She looked up as Mamoru touched her shoulder. Suddenly, she dove to cover her answers.

"30?" he teased with a light in his eye. "Are you going to throw that one away, too?"

"Oh, be quiet," she huffed as she sat back up with a reluctant smile. Across from them, Megumi and her partner compared the answers from the first two tests. Finally, the two girls looked at them with disappointed smiles.

"Okay, we're done here. Thank you so much for your time," Megumi said as she indicated that Usagi should stand up. "Unfortunately, it looks like you've only scored about average on this test. That means that the university probably won't be calling you for further screening." She turned to Usagi, and her smile brightened. "Your pictures were lovely, Yuri-san. I didn't mean for you to get quite so detailed. We were just looking for the simple designs like you had on the last test."

"Oh?" Usagi asked in surprise. "I thought maybe he had a different pack of cards or something. Oh well."

"If you'll just come this way," the other girl said as she gestured towards the door. "You still get a door prize for stopping in."

Five minutes later, Usagi and Mamoru walked down the street once more, a free pack of tissue in his pocket and a small deck of cards in hers. "Ne, Mamo-chan," she said curiously as she looked up at him. "Why did you tell me to write down so many wrong answers?"

He sighed and looked up to the sky. "Usa, you know what would have happened if we had gotten every answer right?"

"We would have won the cute little plush kitty and puppy, and maybe something even better from the university," his wife replied innocently.

He shook his head. "No, we would have been taken up to the university, and then they would have made us take test after test after test while they tried to figure out how we did it."

She frowned. "But... We do it because we're so deeply bonded to each other," she said in confusion, "just like the teacher said."

"He was just talking, Usa. He didn't really know that. He just knew that was what you wanted to hear. But, I'm sure he would have taken all the credit of 'discovering' us if he had been right."

Usagi sighed, and then smiled up at him again. "Thank you, Mamo-chan." He made a questioning sound and raised an eyebrow as he looked down at her shining face. "Thank you for letting me go in there for a little while."

He shook his head, but smiled as he looked down the sidewalk once more. "Now can we go buy my Physics book?" he asked. She nodded with a grin.

(aaaaabbbbbcccccdddddeeeeeffffffggggghhhhiiiijjjjkkkkllllmmmmnnnnooooppppqqqqrrrrsssstttuuuuvvvvvwwwwwxxxxxyyyyzzzzz)

"So... these are today's potentials?" the short woman asked as she looked over the results of the psychic tests. Her eyes narrowed as she studied the answers of Moe Ryuu and Yuri Tora. They flickered back and forth between the two sets, looking for patterns, and then she turned to the tall, dark haired man. "These two... I sense something. They could very well be good at covering their tracks."

He raised a dark eyebrow. "If they were that good, would they take the risk of our finding them?" he asked as he took the sheets from her. The overhead light made the crystals on his dark coat sparkle and shine.

"Maybe... It might just be possible..." the woman replied.

_(A/N: Yes, that was the end... I'm bad, I know.) _


	17. Distractions

2/18/06

Title: Distractions  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Usagi &/or Mamoru (Optional: Claustrophobia)  
Genre: General / Humor  
Version: Manga (post StarS)  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: Lady, Usagi, Mamoru, and all their friends and family were created by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely converted them into paper cutouts to play with for a while.

_I have this insane urge to put Lady (teen-aged Usagi "Small Lady" Serenity) into a story. The best theme seems to be this one, but we'll see. This story would happen in the middle of my (pretty long) story 'The Sleeper'. You do not need to be familiar with that story at all to read this one. Just know that ChibiUsa has fled to the past with her four guardians (Pallas, Juno, Vesta, and Ceres) in order to escape a very powerful enemy. It is 18 months or so after StarS, which makes Usagi and her friends between 17 and 18, while Lady and her friends appear to be between 14 and 15._

Distractions

Usagi studied her daughter from the future out of the corner of her eye. Lady leaned against the table and frowned down at her homework. Beside her lay the bag that never left arm's reach except for the rare times she entrusted it to Usagi or Celeste.

Usagi noted the younger girl's pale face and the dark circles that were starting to form under her eyes. She had overheard Diana telling Luna that the last thing Lady had heard before leaving the 30th century was the sound of shattering crystal. The Palace had heaved around them, Diana had said, and there had been no time to determine what had happened. Small Lady and her friends all feared the worst, and the young princess often had nightmares about her parents dying horribly while she escaped.

'_What she needs is something to distract her,_' Usagi thought worriedly as she absently rubbed at her chest. '_School isn't doing to much, and we can only go shopping so often. What else can we do?_' She frowned, and then looked at the book in front of her.

Slowly, she began to smile. "Hey, ChibiUsa, you 'bout done with those problems yet?" she asked as she closed her text book.

Lady frowned at her. "Give me a break," the younger girl grumbled. "I actually try to do them right, you know, so it takes me a little longer."

Usagi rolled her eyes, but refused to take the bait. "Well hurry up! It's almost time to go," she said as she stood up.

Lady gave her a surprised look. "Go? Go where?"

"You'll see," was the only response her future mother gave her as she exited her former bedroom. Usagi smiled as she raced down the stairs and picked up the phone. Quickly, she dialed Minako's number.

An hour later, she and Lady raced for the train station. "It's about time," Rei grumbled. "I thought you said 45 minutes."

"Yeah, yeah," Usagi panted as she waved her hand at her temperamental friend. "Sorry 'bout that." She leaned against the station wall and tried to catch her breath. Minako and Makoto exchanged significant glances, and then moved discretely to stand on either side of their friend. Lady wasn't fooled, however, and gave Usagi a worried look. She bit her lip and didn't say anything, though, as Ami looked up from her book and down the tracks.

"Looks like you just made it," the blue haired girl said with a smile as she put her book away. Everyone looked down the rails to see the train coming in. "You remembered to bring your passes, I hope?"

"Yes," the group of girls around her chorused. Usagi just waved and tried to hide a shudder as another burning sensation worked its way through her chest. She wished desperately that the mysterious ache would go away, if only for the day. She took shallow breaths as she watched the train pull into the station.

"But, where are we going?" Lady asked again.

"Oh? Didn't Usagi tell you?" Rei asked curiously as she stood up. "We're going out to Mt. Nokogiri in Chiba."

"Mt. Nokogiri?" Pallas asked curiously. "What's out there?"

"Oh, beautiful hiking trails, some waterfalls, a shrine or two," Rei answered as she stepped towards the train. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Minako wrap a friendly, discrete arm around Usagi's waist and help her towards the train. "I think there are even some caves, if you are into that kind of thing."

"Caves?" June asked. "Deep ones?"

"A few of them," Ami replied as she followed the taller girl onto the train. "You like caves?"

June nodded as she looked for a seat. "They're fun, especially the ones with the neat rock formations in them."

Bessa grimaced, and sat down. "You go have fun. I think I'll go find one of those waterfalls or something."

"Yeah, I'm with you," Celeste said with a shudder of distaste as Rei, Makoto, and Ami turned to give Bessa curious looks. "Caves are so dark, dank, and... erie."

"Dead," Bessa agreed with a shudder.

"Now that's not true," Pallas protested.

"Actually, caves can have quite a bit of life," Ami said simultaneously. She and the younger senshi seated beside her exchanged looks, and then she gestured for Pallas to continue.

"Yes, like Ami-san said, there can be a lot of life inside of caves. Just because it isn't green like the plants you prefer doesn't mean it isn't alive."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Bessa replied. "I'm still going hiking instead. What about you, Lady-chan?"

"Me?" Lady asked as she dragged her eyes away from Usagi's pale face and clutched her bag to her chest. "Um... Well, the shrine sounds kind of interesting, but I love waterfalls. You know that."

For the next hour, the girls debated the various options and plotted out their expedition. They broke into two groups. They would all start at the biggest shrine, and then split up to visit the caves and waterfalls. By the time they reached their final station, Usagi was breathing easier and chatting as animatedly as everyone else.

They had a fun time exploring the shrine and then broke into their sub groups. Celeste, Bessa, Makoto, Lady, Usagi and Rei opted to climb to the waterfalls while the rest went off into the caves for a few hours of exploring.

About half way up the mountain, Makoto frowned up at the sky and then began to look around. "Mako-chan?" Rei asked softly when she noted the strange behavior.

"Storm's coming," Makoto replied loud enough for everyone to hear her. "We should probably find a cave or something to hide in until it passes over."

Bessa groaned, and Lady, Usagi, and Celeste grimaced in distaste. "Do we have to?" Celeste asked.

Makoto smiled. "Unless you want to get wet," she replied. "Don't worry, we won't have to go in too far, just enough to get out of the rain." Still grumbling in disgust, the two youngest girls began to look around.

The first rain drops were beginning to fall when Lady found a hole that seemed to be large enough to fit all of them. Quickly, they raced towards it.

Suddenly, Bessa stopped. "Wait!" she called. Celeste, Makoto, and Rei slowed down, but Usagi and Lady kept running. "Lady-chan, wait!" she called again in concern as she started to run again. "Stop! There's something in there!"

Apparently not hearing her, the two Tsukinos raced into the cave. A few seconds later, they raced out again, followed by a small bear. The senshi raced to protect their princess and queen.

"Easy fella," Bessa said soothingly as the bear snorted at her. "Sorry about that. Sometimes, they just rush in without thinking. Could we come in for a few moments? Please?" It snorted and grumbled at her for a second as her friends watched in amazement. "Well, our fur isn't nearly as thick as yours," she pointed out, "and this rain is just going to get harder in a few minutes. Isn't there enough room for all of us?" It grunted and snorted a bit more. "Well, sure," she told it. "I don't think anyone would mind giving you a good scratch." It shook itself all over, like a dog, and then shuffled back into its cave.

"Okay, it's safe now," Bessa said as she turned to the others. "He says it might be a little cramped, but if we watch where we step it should be all right. What?" she asked as she saw their surprised looks.

"You can talk to animals?" Rei asked curiously.

The younger senshi flushed a little. "Well... It's... Of course," she stuttered. "It's just one of my gifts," she added as she turned to hurry into the cave. "Are you guys coming or not?" A little nervously, they followed her into the cave. Just as Rei, who was last, entered, the sky opened up and rain began to fall in earnest.

"Woo, just in time," Usagi said from the back of the cave. She pressed her hand to her chest, and rubbed absently.

Lady could not take it any more. "Usagi, are you all right?" she asked in concern as she shifted closer to her mother.

Immediately, Usagi dropped her hand. "Of course," she said with a bright smile. "Why do you ask?" Lady just rolled her eyes, and then glared angrily at the older girl. Usagi's face softened. "Really, I'm all right," she said softly. "Both Ami-chan and Rei-chan say so. My chest just gets really hot sometimes. It's okay."

Lady looked unconvinced, but closed her mouth when Makoto touched her arm and shook her head. When the young princess looked at the taller senshi, a thought suddenly occurred to her. She had wondered why Minako and Ami had gone with the cave crew instead of Rei and Makoto. Caves did not really seem to be their style, especially Minako. And yet, they had gone, leaving the strongest and the most sensitive to watch over Usagi. When Makoto gently tugged her arm to indicate that she would like to switch places and stand closer to Usagi, Lady suddenly nodded and moved out of her way.

"So," Rei said to Bessa in an attempt to distract everyone from Usagi, "one of your gifts is the ability to talk to animals. That's really neat."

"Yeah, I guess," Bessa said as she shifted uncomfortably. Suddenly, she turned and began to scratch the bear behind its ears.

Rei looked at her in surprise, and then shifted to lean against the wall on the other side of the bear's head. Bessa relaxed slightly as the exit of the cave came into her view once more. "So... How long have you been claustrophobic?" the older senshi asked softly as she tentatively reached out towards the bear's head.

She didn't ask quite softly enough, and Lady suddenly turned in concern to her red headed friend. Bessa just shook her head with a shaky laugh. "Oh, I'm not claustrophobic," she said. "I just really, really don't like caves. Not that yours is bad or anything," she said to the bear as she shifted her fingers to the spot between its shoulder blades. "In fact, it seems quite cozy. You must be nice and warm in the winter time." It wuffed at her, and she smiled. "I bet."

"You're not claustrophobic?" Rei asked still not sounding sure. Both Celeste and Bessa shook their heads.

"No, Rei-san, she's really not. I've seen her climb into some of the darkest, tightest places," Celeste called softly. "Ne, Lady-chan, remember the time Diana got caught back in that crack? Bessa-chan was the only one who could crawl in to get her." Rei watched as Bessa grimaced at the memory. Fortunately, her back was to Lady and Celeste. "Or, how about the time that bird got caught in that thicket? Those tree branches were so dense, I wondered how it had ever managed to get back there."

"Really, it's just caves," Bessa said as her apple red eyes met Rei's violet ones. "I had a really bad experience in a cave one time before I moved to Japan." She stopped, clearly not wanting to talk about it. Rei shrugged and let the subject go.

After a few moments of silence, Usagi spoke up. "Hey, Bessa-chan, could you thank your friend there for me? That rain looks awfully cold. I'm very grateful he decided to share his cave with us."

Bessa smiled over her shoulder at the young woman she still had trouble believing was her queen. "Sure, Usagi-san. I'll give him an extra scratch for you. Unless you want to come do it?" Her smile widened to a grin when Usagi shook her head rapidly. "Oh, come on, he's not hungry... yet." Lady, Usagi, and Celeste inched back away from their host nervously, and Bessa laughed.

"Oh, look!" Makoto said as she pointed out of the cave. Curiously, the others peered out into the rain. They noticed two things immediately. First, the rain was letting up, and second a rainbow seemed to dance in front of the cave entrance like a curtain of light. Celeste, Usagi, and Lady oo-ed in a chorus of appreciation.

They watched in silently for a minute, and Usagi looked at Lady's face out of the corner of her eye. She smiled when she realized that the younger girl had relaxed, if only slightly, and that her eyes had brightened almost to their normal happy level. She nodded in satisfaction, and started trying to think of another distraction for the next day.


	18. The Dark Haired Monster PGSMR

2/19/06 PGSMR

Title: The Dark Haired Monster  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Usagi &/or Mamoru (Optional: Prince Demando)  
Genre: Drama  
Version: PGSM R (No Spoilers)  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: All characters were created by Takeuchi Naoko, and are partially owned by Bandai Entertainment. I have merely converted them into paper cutouts to play with for a while.

I haven't decided whether or not to include this in my PGSM R arc, so for now it is considered a one-shot. Enjoy!

The Dark Haired Monster

She stood in the dark shadows near the wall and slowly tightened her grasp on her fan. Her long, green fingernails dug into her skin, but she did not flinch, release her grip, or look down. Her green eyes stayed firmly fixed on the scene in front of her.

A tall, slim man dressed all in white sat on the edge of the room's solitary bed. His shoulder length white hair cascaded around his face as he leaned in towards the dark haired woman who lay on the bed. Like the man, she was dressed all in white and silver, but where his skin was milk white, her skin was lightly tanned, and where his hair was the gentle, glowing silver of starlight, hers was the cold darkness of the void.

The green-eyed woman had to exert all of her considerable will to keep a hiss of displeasure from escaping her when the man reached out and laid a gentle, gloved hand on the other woman's face. Her grip tightened even more as hatred, fear, jealousy, and anger roiled through her heart and soul.

The fragile looking braces of the fan creaked and clicked softly as they slid against one another. The two women did not hear them, but the man's instantly stiff shoulders showed that he did. He sat up abruptly, and turned his head to search the shadows with his pale silver eyes. The green-eyed woman froze, not daring to breathe.

As the man turned back to the dark haired woman, she relaxed slightly, and then jumped when he spoke. "Esmeraude," he called quietly. Slowly, reluctantly, she stepped out of the shadows and bowed. He waited patiently, his eyes once again on the unconscious woman on the bed.

Esmeraude opened her ruby lips, ready to give her excuse. "What do you see in her?" she heard herself ask instead. Her right hand flew up to her lips as her green eyes widened in horror and her snow white face paled even more.

The man did not turn to look at her. Instead, he kept his eyes on the dark beauty in front of him. "What do I see?" he asked reflectively. "I see... Defiance. Strength. Beauty, of course. Great beauty..." He reached out to once more run his gloved fingers down her face.

"Beauty?" Esmeraude barely managed to keep the venom out of her voice. "Yes, I suppose. Just like an athrocyte flower: all pale and sweet smelling, and just as deadly poisonous. Do you forget what she did? The perversion she spread?"

He shook his head gently. "She hasn't spread it yet. Not in this form. No, this version from the 20th Century... she is like a vase waiting to be glazed and fired. She can be anything. Anything at all. We can teach her, make her see that what her future self did was wrong. And then... it won't happen. None of it will happen."

Esmeraude's eyes widened. "Change time?" she whispered in shock. She stared at the woman on the bed. '_Would it be worth it?_' she wondered. '_If she changes... If she does not spread the perversion of eternal peace and life... If she does not banish our forefathers..._' She was tempted by the idea for almost a minute, and then she abruptly shook her head.

"She'll never change," she said softly. "An athrocyte cannot become a harmless violet just because you transplant it. Even if you somehow removed its poison without killing it, it will still be just as dangerous. My prince..." Her voice cut off when he turned to glare at her over his shoulder. Quickly, she bowed. "Forgive me."

"You underestimate the power of the Dark Crystal," he said coldly as he glared at her. "Already, its rich, dark power is flowing through her veins destroying the sterile white power of the Silver Crystal. Soon, she will feel the rich fullness of _life_ flowing through her, and then she will understand." Esmeraude kept her doubts to herself as he turned back towards the unconscious woman. "She will taste the heady power of life, the sweet seduction of death, the thrill of risking everything... And I will be the one to show it to her."

Esmeraude bit her lip as the anger, jealousy, and fear flooded through her once more. That cold, evil creature was seducing him and she wasn't even _awake_.

"Why are you here?" he asked abruptly.

She bowed once more. "Wiseman requested that I come and find you. Apparently, he has a gift for you."

Prince Demand raised one silver eyebrow, and then turned back to the unconscious woman. Gently, he reached out and smoothed her dark hair where it draped over her shoulder. "I will return soon, my Queen," he said softly as he stood. "Continue to gather your strength."

Slowly, he turned away and walked out the door. With one last viciously protective look, Esmeraude followed him into the hall.

A few minutes later, the woman on the bed stirred. Her face twitched and contorted gently as she strove to wake herself up. There was something she had to do, something very important. A test? No. A trip. A search. She had to go somewhere to find something.

Slowly, her eyelids fluttered open, and she looked groggily at the ceiling. She drew her right hand up her body to her head, and then stopped as something about the feel seemed wrong.

She clenched her jaw against the stomach churning nausea as she slowly forced herself to sit up. When she caught sight of her dress, she gave a small gasp. Her slightly unfocused eyes gazed in wonder at the silver and white creation she was wearing, and then looked around the dark room.

She frowned as she reached for her neck. Something was missing. Something important. She turned and looked down at the bed, and then began to weakly search through the sheets and pillows. Her movements became a little stronger as panic finally began to set in.

Finally, a flash of something on the nightstand beside the bed drew her attention. With a gasp of relief, she dove for the small, heart shaped necklace. She lay face down on the bed, and then slowly drug the necklace off the stand and up to her shoulder.

She took a few minutes to fight down the nausea and to search for the strength to sit up once more, and then rolled herself onto her back. With her free hand, she brushed her dark hair out of her eyes as she lifted the little necklace into line of view.

She dropped it to her chest with another soft sigh of relief, and then struggled to sit up once more. Instinctively, she moved and maneuvered the long, full skirts until she was sitting properly on the bed with her bare feet on the cold floor.

With trembling fingers, she worked the latch of the necklace and strung it around her neck where it belonged. Then, she paused for a few breaths, and pushed her way to her feet. She had to find out where she was. She had to find Ami, Makoto, and Rei before it was too late. '_Hold on, guys,_' she thought to her captured friends. '_Hold on. I'm coming..._'


	19. Longing PSGM Spoiler WARNING

2/20/06

Title: LongingAuthor: Raya  
Theme: Usagi &/or Mamoru (Optional: Rendezvous - a deviantART by Tagpuan)  
Genre: Drama  
Version: PGSM - SPOILER ALERT (not any major ones, but spoilers just the same)  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: All characters below were created by Takeuchi Naoko and Bandai Entertainment. I have merely converted them into paper cutouts to play with for a while.

_A/N: Two PGSM stories in a row? I was beginning to think my well had run dry, hahaha..._

Longing

The gentle, ringing sound of a harp cut through the cold, frosty air. Sitting on a low wall, Princess Sailor Moon ignored the cold feel of the snow on her bottom and bare legs and the cold wind that rustled through her long blonde hair and swirled her short skirts. Her cold gaze was fixed on her harp, but her mind was miles away from the silent little park she had found.

Once, long ago, he had told her how beautiful her music was. He had told her how appropriate it was that she should play such a beautiful, haunting, ladylike instrument. She had blushed and told him not to tease her so. He had lain for hours in the green grass, his head on his bundled up cloak, and listened to her play every song she knew.

How she missed those days. How she longed for him to return to her. Her face tightened as she thought of the woman who had taken him away.

'_It's not fair!_' she railed in her mind. '_He's the only one. He's the only one who truly loved me!_'

The others didn't remember yet. Mercury, Mars, Jupiter... even Luna seemed to have forgotten what she truly was. They loved Usagi. The Princess' eyes flashed at this thought. They loved that light-hearted shell, that might-have-been. Everyone did, and it made her lonely heart ache even more. They would never love the real woman under the shell. In the past, they never had.

Venus knew. Princess Sailor Moon could tell that by the respectful, cautious look in her dark eyes. She remembered what a monster Serenity was.

"Aphrodite...," she whispered as a sad look flashed across her face. Yes, Venus remembered, and remembering, had made the same choice she had all those millennia before. She chose to draw away from her childhood friend.

"Endymion..." Her voice was full of longing as her mind circled back to him the way it always did. He knew what she was. He may not remember all of the details, but somehow, deep down, he knew. She could see it in his eyes. He knew what she could do, the destructive power she could wield, and he didn't care. He loved her anyway.

Even when he called her by that other name, she knew it was her he was talking to. By reminding her of who she might have been, he reminded her of how to keep control, to bury the burning power of the crystal.

So far, it worked, just as it always had. He kept her stable. He filled the aching void in her soul, her overwhelming need for someone, anyone, to love her for who she really was. But now, he was far away. Her heart could not find his anywhere on this planet. And soon, the sadness would overwhelm her.

That thought caused her to shudder slightly. A soft sound made her look up sharply. Her dark eyes scanned the park, flickering over the snow dusted benches, grazing over the distant play set, and probing the shadows around the trees.

Finally, she saw it: the ragged, dark embodiment of her anger and sorrow. It stood in front of a tree, very close to the benches and wavered as if blown by the wind. Her red lips pursed slightly, and she tilted her head down to glare at it coldly. Then, with a flash of silver-gold power, she banished it.

Her hands never faltered on the harp. Her haunting melody continued to ring throughout the park. She scanned the area once more, and then turned her eyes back to it again. If Endymion was not there to help her, then she would lose herself in the world of music once more, she decided. Maybe there, in the world of music and sweet memories, she would be able to keep her threadbare control.


	20. Fountain of Delight

2/21/06

Title: Fountain of Delight  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Usagi &/or Mamoru (Optional Theme: Chocolate)  
Genre: Humor / General  
Version: Manga (post StarS / pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: All characters were created by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely converted them into paper cutouts to play with for a little while.

Fountain of Delight

Usagi stood and stared at the little fountain with wide, amazed eyes. Never had she seen such a thing before, but she decided right then and there that she wanted one. It was amazing!

"Mamo-chan, look!" she exclaimed softly, her eyes never leaving the flowing, cascading liquid. "Is that really...?"

Mamoru looked at her in surprise, and then chuckled. Deftly, he snagged a medium-sized, ripe strawberry from a plate. Usagi's eyes widened, and her mouth gaped open in surprise as she watched him carefully dip it into the top level of the fountain and roll it about. He raised his other hand up to catch any stray drops as he drew it out carefully and turned to offer it to his wife. His eyes sparkled with amusement as he popped it into her open mouth.

Instinctively, she shut it, and began to chew. "MMMMmmmmm..." she moaned as the sweet juice of the ripe strawberry fought with the rich dark chocolate for control of her taste buds. Her eyes closed so she could appreciate the taste more. "Oh, that was _so_ good," she sighed after she swallowed. She opened her eyes, and eagerly turned to see what other fruits were provided.

"Mamoru-kun, use a plate," Reika laughed as she stopped beside them. "Really, this is my wedding, not yours. Show a little restraint," she teased. She laughed again as he blushed faintly.

"Oh, Reika-san," Usagi gushed as her right hand hovered over a selection of orange pieces. The plate in her left hand had a small pile of bananas, melon, and grapes already on it. "Reika-san, where ever did you find this? It's wonderful! I wish I had had one at my wedding!"

Reika turned her shining face to the younger girl. "Isn't it wonderful? One of my professors had one set up for a Christmas party, and I just _knew_ that I had to have one for the wedding."

Usagi grinned at her as she selected several pieces of orange, and then moved to the strawberries. She paused as she gazed at the wonderful cascades of chocolate once more. "How much chocolate is in there?" she asked in a softer, reverent voice. Mamoru shook his head as he grabbed a handful of small skewers and began to prepare her fruit for dipping.

"Ninety five liters," Reika replied, her voice just as reverent. Mamoru nearly dropped the piece of banana he was working on, and looked at her in shock. Usagi's azure eyes flew to her as well. Reika nodded. "Really. Ninety five liters. And they add more if it starts to get low."

Usagi and Mamoru could not imagine how the fountain could ever get low with so much chocolate syrup flowing through it. Simultaneously, Usagi's eyes lit up, and Mamoru winced. "Usa," he said warningly. "If you eat that much, you will get a stomach ache!"

Her face fell, and she turned to pout up at him. "But, Mamo-chan... How often do I get to eat all the chocolate I want?"

He shook his head, resisting her sad azure eyes. "This plate, and that's it. No more. At least not until after dinner."

She looked at him pleadingly for a few more moments, and then sighed in disappointment. "Meanie," she muttered under her breath as she reached out to take the skewered banana pieces away from him.

"You'll thank me later," he said softly as he leaned over and took her hand to show her how to push the pieces into the side of the fountain and roll them around to coat them evenly.

Reika giggled at the tender display, and looked around the room to find Motoki. '_Who would have thought,_' she thought in amusement as she made her way over to her groom. '_Who would ever have thought that Mamoru-kun would have such a tender, romantic side._'

_A/N#2: 95L is 25 gallons. One of our VP's had a retirement party today with a small fruit table and chocolate fountain set up, and the lady who was operating it said it took either 20 or 25 gallons of chocolate. I was shocked at the amount. It didn't _look_ like it could hold that much! (smile)  
_


	21. Paying Respect I

2/22/06

Title: Paying Respect  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Usagi &/or Mamoru (Optional: Graveyard)  
Genre: General  
Version: Manga (post StarS / pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: All characters were created by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely converted them into paper cutouts to play with for a little while.

Paying Respect

A small poster in the book store caught Usagi's eye as she scanned the manga and magazines. Curious, she turned to look at it, and then smiled. O-bon. It was that time of year again: time to visit graves, eat, and dance the night away.

As she turned to get Mamoru's attention, it suddenly occurred to her that was their first o-bon together as husband and wife. She paused and let this thought float and settle in her mind. Their first o-bon as a married couple. That meant that they would be visiting Mamoru's family grave site as well as her own. Hopefully, they would be located in the same area.

'_It won't matter,_' she decided. '_If they're too far apart, Mama, Papa, and Shingo can take care of our grave site while I help Mamo-chan with his._' She frowned. '_But what will I wear? I don't have anything appropriate!_'

She turned her worried eyes towards her husband. He was glancing through a medical journal, apparently unconcerned. "Mamo-chan," she said tentatively.

"Mmm?"

"Um, O-ban is coming, isn't it?" she asked uncertainly. It suddenly occurred to her that he might not celebrate o-bon. It was a Buddhist festival, after all, and since it was a celebration for the dead it might bring up bad memories of the loss of his parents.

"Mmm," he agreed as he flipped a couple of pages.

"Do... do you do anything special?" she asked as she turned to run her fingers over the manga covers.

"Hmm?" he asked as he lifted his head. "What was that, Usa?"

"For o-bon. Do you do anything special?" she asked as she lifted the latest book by Leiji Matsumoto out of the rack and pretended nonchalance.

"O-bon? No, not really. Why?" he said curiously.

"Oh, no reason," she said breezily as she flipped through the manga. "I was just curious."

* * *

For several days, the thought ate at her. It just seemed so unnatural to not have any special plans for o-bon. It occurred to her that she had never seen Mamoru visit any family grave sites. That seemed so disrespectful that she was sure that she had to be wrong. But, it was true, and that bothered her even more.

A week before o-bon, she met her friends for ice cream at Crown. Even though she smiled, and joked, and tried to act like usual, her friends saw through her quickly.

"Usagi-chan?" Ami asked. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing," she replied as she leaned forward to take a long sip of her ice cream soda.

Rei snorted. "Right. Then why are you drinking Minako-chan's soda?" she asked pointedly. Usagi's eyes widened in shock and she sat back to look at the table. Sure enough, she was drinking out of Minako's straw while her fellow blonde stared at her with a surprised expression.

She flushed with embarrassment. "Oh. I'm sorry, Minako-chan!" Her voice trailed off as Minako shook her head.

"Nah, it's all right, Usagi-chan. You're not sick or anything are you?" When Usagi shook her head, Minako nodded. "Then don't worry about it. But Ami-chan and Rei-chan are right. What's wrong? Is it Mamoru-san?" Her eyes lit up, and she leaned forward, ready to hear every detail.

She sighed. From experience, she knew that if she didn't tell them now, she would tell them soon. And now that Minako thought it had something to do with her marriage, it would be better not to wait. "It's really nothing. O-bon is coming up, and I just realized that I don't know where Mamoru's family grave site is." Her friends looked at her in surprise, and she shifted uncomfortably. "Well, he never goes, you see, and so I thought I should, but I don't know where, and even if I did I don't have anything to wear, and..." She paused as Ami held up her hand.

"Mamoru-san never visits his family's grave site?" Makoto asked in surprise from across the table. "That's odd. He's always seemed such a traditionalist to me." Usagi nodded, her face as puzzled as Makoto's.

"Maybe it's because..." Ami's voice trailed off. When she saw her friends looking at her expectantly, she continued the thought. "You said once that he does not remember anything, right? That he is not even sure that his name is Mamoru Chiba?" Usagi nodded. "Well, maybe, since he does not really feel he knows who he is, he does not think he knows where his family lies?"

Usagi sat back and pondered this for a long moment. "Maybe..."

Makoto, Rei, and Minako all nodded. "That makes a lot of sense, Ami-chan," Rei said. "He may not want to offend by presuming to be kin when he is not, and so he just doesn't go."

"Then what do I do?" Usagi asked agitatedly. "His family is my family now. I have to do something to show my respect..."

Her friends looked thoughtful for a moment, and then Makoto spoke up softly. "His parents were real, right? They have to be buried somewhere. If you can find out where..."

Usagi's face lit up. "Then I can show my respect to them at least. That's a great idea, Mako-chan!" Her face fell again. "But, how do I find them? I can't ask Mamo-chan." Her friends looked at her curiously. "He was so young, he probably doesn't remember," Usagi explained. "And if he does, maybe it's still too painful for him..." They nodded, but did not seem particularly convinced.

"I can probably find out by scanning the public records," Ami said helpfully. Usagi turned and smiled brightly at her. "Mamoru-san was six then, right?" When Usagi nodded, she pulled out her computer and began to key in her search.

"But... What will I wear?" Usagi asked suddenly.

Minako laughed. "That's the easiest part of all, Usagi-chan. Hurry up and finish that soda," she said as she drew her own glass close to her. "Then, we'll go shopping." Makoto's and Rei's faces lit up as they quickly lifted their spoons to eat their ice cream.

Mamoru stood in the shade of an old ginkgo tree, and looked at the young blonde girl who stood in front of his parents' stone. The plain kimono that she wore looked a little odd on her. Its mature cut and color seemed out of place on her young body. But, the dark indigo color looked good on her. It brought out the clear moon white color of her skin and the soft golden sheen of her long hair.

* * *

He smiled at the look of intense concentration on her face as she scrubbed the old stone. She scrubbed it so hard, he was sure that she thought that she had to gouge out years of dirt and neglect. Sweat beaded her forehead as she worked under the blazing hot August sun. Just as he moved forward to help her, she put her brush down, lifted a dipper full of water, and began to rinse the stone.

He paused again, strangely unwilling to disturb her. She finished rinsing the stone, and then sat back with a sigh. "Your son is doing well," she said softly as she lifted a small white towel. "I told you that I am his new wife, right?" She smiled as she began to dry off the stone. "I promise to take very good care of him." She paused, and with a frown picked a small weed that she had spotted near the base of the stone. "I'll take care of you, too," she said as she turned back to the stone. "He doesn't mean any disrespect, you know. I think he's just confused. Maybe you still don't seem real to him. He never did regain his memory," she babbled as she dried. "But, Ami-chan says that you were his parents, so you must be. Did you know? He's in medical school now. He wants to be a doctor so he can help people. I think that's wonderful."

She sat back and studied the gleaming stone. A smile blossomed on her face. "I think _he's_ wonderful," she confided as she turned back to the basket that she had brought with her. She reached in and pulled out two bowls. She put them gently on the ground in front of her, and then drew out a small bowl and a spoon. As she dished out two heaping servings of rice, Usagi told his parents about how he had helped her to save the world, how he had saved her life too many times to mention, and how he was always there to help her whenever she truly needed him. He blushed a little as he listened to her long list of praises and thanks.

Finally, she sat back and studied the marker judiciously. Two small bowls of rice, with chopsticks sticking out of them, a small bud vase with a red, blooming rose, and a small lantern sat in front of it. She nodded, and then turned to reach into the basket once more.

She started, and looked up in surprise when a large, tanned hand held out the box of matches she had been going for. She recognized the hand instantly, and her large azure eyes flew up to meet Mamoru's ocean blue ones. "Ma-Mamo-chan," she gasped.

He smiled gently at her. "You should probably wait until we clean the other one," he said softly.

Her eyes widened even more, and then narrowed in confusion. "Other one?"

"My grandparents' stone is over there," he said as he gestured a little bit the right. She blinked in surprise. "My grandfather raised me for a short while, so it is only right that we clean his off, too." Numbly, she nodded.

Gently, he helped her to her feet, and then picked up the basket, bucket of water, and towel, and led her over to the appropriate stone. Usagi followed, carrying the scrub brush and the dipper. Her geta sandals clacked softly on the stone pathway.

When they reached the stone, he put his burden down, and then motioned for his wife to step up beside him. "Sir," he said softly, "I know it has been a long time since I have been here. I apologize. It will not happen again." He turned slightly towards his wife and smiled. "This is my wife, Usagi Tsukino also known as Princess Serenity of Moon." Usagi bowed politely to the stone, and introduced herself.

"Usa, this is Kotaro Chiba-sama, and his wife Keiko-sama. Kotaro-sama took me in when my parents died and tried to raise me properly. He passed away when I was fourteen." He paused, and Usagi saw a flurry of emotions cross his face. Hurt, anger, longing, dislike, pain, love, and respect were the ones that she managed to identify before he smoothed his face out once more into the mask he still sometimes wore.

He took the dipper away from her, and poured a small amount of water over the stone. As he began to clean it, he told her of his childhood in the Chiba household and of the cold man who everyone said was his grandfather. She listened silently. When he was finished, the stone was clean, and tears were slowly tracing their way down his face.

As he escorted her back to his parents' stone, she silently resolved to bring some rice and a lantern to his grandparents' marker the next day. She watched him carefully light the lantern in front of his parents' marker, and then stood close by him offering her love and support. He turned slightly and gave her a small smile.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Whenever you are," she replied softly. "We can stay if you want..." She broke off as he shook his head and reached for her hand.

"Let's go," he said as he bent down to pick up the basket. He handed it to her, and then picked up the bucket. Together, they turned to go home.


	22. Paying Respect II Sil T, Crys B cont

2/22/06b

Title: Paying Respect II - Overdue Visit  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Usagi &/or Mamoru (Optional: Graveyard)  
Genre:  
Version: Manga (post StarS / pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: All characters were created by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely converted them into paper cutouts to play with for a while.

Paying Respect II - Overdue Visit

"Ma-mo-ru," Usagi called impatiently over ChibiUsa's wails of frustration as she dashed around her daughter's room. "Aren't you ready yet?"

She shoved a handful of diapers into the bunny covered diaper bag, checked the baby wipes, verified that she had at least two pairs of socks, three towels, a blanket, the backup teething ring, and two small toys. Carefully, she added two nice changes of clothes to the top of the bag and zipped it up.

She carried it out to the living area where her daughter was confined to her swing. "Yes, dear, I hear you," she said as she put the bag on the table. "Soon. You can get out soon."

"Let her out now, for pity's sake," Mamoru grumbled as he walked into the living area. He was buttoning the last button on the left sleeve of his white dress shirt.

"She'll get her dress all messed up," Usagi protested as she shook her head and headed towards the kitchen. "I want her looking nice when we get there," she called over her shoulder.

"Get where?" he sighed as he slipped on his dark jacket. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see," she called down the hall. He grimaced, straightened up his jacket, and walked over to his crying daughter.

"I know, I know," he agreed as he reached for the latches. "You know how your mother gets sometimes." As he lifted the six month old out of the swing, her wails instantly subsided to sobs.

"Mamoru," Usagi protested as she walked back into the room carrying the bottle bag.

"I'm holding her. She's not going to get messed up," he said reasonably, trying to hold on to his patience as he lifted his daughter to his shoulder. He was tired, and had been looking forward to a nice, peaceful day off.

Instead, his wife had roused her family with the dawn, fed them breakfast, and insisted that they dress in their finest outfits. He wanted nothing more than to crawl back into their warm, soft bed, but Usagi's hurried manner implied that they were late for some appointment he had forgotten.

"But she'll drool all over you like that," she protested. She paused as if something had just occurred to her. "Drool. Clothes. Bibs!" she exclaimed as she turned to rush down the hall to ChibiUsa's room again. Mamoru just sighed and walked over to sit on the couch.

"Mamoru-san?" Luna called uncertainly as she walked into the room from wherever she had been hiding.

"Good morning, Luna," he mumbled as he leaned his head back and closed his eyes. "Do you know what this is all about?"

Luna shook her head and jumped delicately up onto the couch. She gave ChibiUsa a wary look as the baby turned her dark pink eyes towards her. "No," she replied as she turned her gaze back to her king's tired face, "she didn't tell me either. She just said that we all had to be up really early this morning, and that if I let her oversleep she would put cayenne pepper in my catnip." Mamoru snorted softly. "It's not funny," Luna protested.

"Mamoru," Usagi called as she came back in the room. "Don't go back to sleep. Please?"

He reluctantly cracked one eye open and studied her guilty, pleading face. With another sigh, he opened both eyes fully. "No, it's all right, Usako. I won't go back to sleep."

She smiled in relief, and opened the diaper bag to add the bibs and ChibiUsa's favorite doll. "I'm sorry, Mamo-chan. I really am," she said earnestly. "I know you wanted to rest today, but it's the only day we can go while you're off. And you have to come, too!"

He shook his head as he stood up. "It's okay," he lied, "but where are we going. Can't you even give me a hint?"

Usagi's movements stilled, and then she smiled a mysterious smile. "We're going to visit my mother."

He gave her a puzzled look. "Your mother? Usa, she won't be up at this hour! And why do we have to dress up to go there?"

Her smile widened as she turned to take their daughter from him. "Oh, she's up," she replied with a laugh in her voice. "And since she will be dressed up, we should be, too, don't you think?"

He shook his head and reached for the diaper and bottle bags. "I guess I'm going to find out now," he replied as she turned to leave the room. He blinked and looked at her in surprise. "Usa? Aren't we leaving?"

"This way, Mamo-chan," she called as she walked towards the kitchen. "Luna! Come on." Mamoru and Luna exchanged confused looks, and then followed Usagi out into the back yard.

"You should put on a coat," he scolded when he saw her bare shoulders shiver in the early morning cold. His breath puffed in front of him as he spoke.

"We won't be cold for long," she replied serenely as she looked up to the sky. "Are you ready?" As she lowered her eyes to his, a bright silver light surrounded them.

When it faded, Mamoru sucked in a shocked breath. He stared at the white buildings around him with wide eyes. There was something familiar about the place, but he could not put his finger on what it was.

Luna also hissed in shock, but she knew instantly where they were. "The Moon!" she said incredulously. "Usagi-chan, what are we doing here?"

"I told you," the young queen said with a smile, "visiting my mother."

"But... but... Queen Serenity isn't here any more," Luna protested as Mamoru suddenly began to straighten up his coat, tie, and hair.

"Yes she is," Usagi replied softly as she turned to climb the stairs into the Moon Palace. "I saw her the other night." As they walked, she told them of the dream she had had while rocking ChibiUsa to sleep the week before.

In the dream, she and ChibiUsa had been transported to the old palace nursery. She had heard someone humming the lullaby that she had always believed she had made up, and that someone had turned out to be her former mother, Queen Serenity.

"I told her that we would return," Usagi said softly as she led them into the Minor Reception Hall. Her word structure became more formal. "Now that we know she is still here, we have to come and visit, right?"

"Usa..." Mamoru started to say. He cut off instantly as another voice spoke at the same time.

"Not really, but it is appreciated." Luna and Mamoru looked around the room, searching for the source of the voice. Usagi just walked to the foot of the stairs and curtsied as best she could in her tight dress.

"Yes we should," she replied. "We have neglected you for years," she added as she bowed. "We apologize. Please forgive us our offense, Your Majesty."

Queen Serenity's image smiled down at her former daughter from the small dais, and shook her white head. "As I told you before, there is no need to apologize. You did not realize that I was still here." She shifted her silver eyes to her other visitors. "Welcome, Luna. Welcome, Prince... King Endymion." They bowed respectfully to the image.

"But how?" Mamoru asked, still surprised. "The buildings... you..."

Queen Serenity smiled. "Serenity's power," she replied softly. "When my kingdom was destroyed, I sent you off to the future to be reborn. I worried, though, that the evil would escape, and so I sent my will into the computers far beneath the surface. When Serenity's power woke, it restored the Kingdom, and the power source for the computer. And so it is that I am able to stand here before you."

"She has been watching over us," Usagi said softly. "Even when we did not know it, she has been helping us."

Queen Serenity shook her head with a soft smile. "Little it was that I could do," she said as her image glided down the steps of the dais. "As I told you during your last visit, you did all the work. I merely provided you with prayers and whatever information that I could find. Hello, Little Princess," she cooed to ChibiUsa.

The little girl reached for the white haired woman eagerly. "Ah no. Not this time, Little Princess. You shall have to wait until you sleep again. I can only hold you in your dreams." ChibiUsa struggled to reach the older woman, not understanding.

"Come," the ancient queen said as she walked towards Mamoru and Luna. "You must be tired. Let us go find a place where we can all sit and talk, and where your daughter might be free to play."

As Mamoru followed his wife and daughter out of the room, a window caught his eye. He gazed at the silent, gleaming city for a moment, and then turned to catch up. It seemed a strange graveyard to him, but the silence all around reminded him that it could be nothing else.


	23. Princess AU

2/24/06

Title: Princess  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Usagi &/or Mamoru (or in this case: Serenity &/or Endymion)  
Genre: Drama  
Version: Alternate Reality  
Rating: R (for violence)

Disclaimer: All characters were created by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely converted them into paper cutouts and added blended in the Change Card for good measure to play with for a while.

Princess

"Oh no, dead end!" Sailor Jupiter cried. The group of people behind her skidded to a halt and then turned to face back the direction they had come from. Smirking, Kunzite stepped into the entrance of the alley and blocked their escape.

Sailor Mars and Sailor Mercury moved instantly, stepping in front of the normal looking blonde haired girl and shouldering her deeper into the alley. Sailor Jupiter moved forward as well, and the girl was forced back towards the wall. Luna moved to stand between her and Sailor Jupiter.

"Now that's just rude," Kunzite chided as he stepped into the alley. "I was just getting ready to introduce myself to the lady."

"Back off," Sailor Jupiter growled. Electricity arced around her for a moment, and then formed into a ball and raced towards the tall, white haired man. He merely waved his hand, and deflected it easily into the side of one of the surrounding buildings. Dust and shrapnel ballooned out, forcing Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars to shield their faces.

Kunzite's smirk became an evil grin as he raised his hands. The senshi braced themselves, and then screamed in pain as several beams of light pierced their skin.

"No!" Luna yelled, her blue eyes wide in shock. "Everyone!"

Sailor Mars gasped a breath, and then attacked with her fireballs. He easily deflected them back into Sailor Mercury's belated fog attack, turning it into steam. The fireballs sucked the steam back towards the senshi and away from their opponent.

"Princess," Luna exclaimed as she turned to the blonde haired girl. "Please, you have to help them!" Behind her, Sailor Jupiter prepared to throw another ball of lightening.

"But... But I..." the girl stuttered, her blue eyes wide with shock.

Behind her, Luna heard Sailor Mars and Sailor Mercury scream in pain. The screams were followed by a loud thud. She looked over her shoulder, and saw that Kunzite had somehow flung Sailor Mars into a nearby building. Her head and arms hung limply as she slumped against the wall unconscious. "Please wake up!" Luna cried as she turned back to the blonde haired girl again.

The shocked look on the girl's face faded into a sad one. "But I..." Her eyes narrowed slightly as Kunzite bowed mockingly towards her, and then negligently tossed a ball of light towards Sailor Mercury.

The nimble warrior dodged, but it caught her left arm and surrounded it. Flashes of light filled the ball, and Sailor Mercury began to scream. She lifted her other hand and tried to push at the ball of light, but it did not budge. She collapsed to her knees, still screaming, as Sailor Jupiter sent three balls of lightening sailing towards her enemy, one right behind the other. The ball of light grew until it surrounded the blue haired senshi entirely.

"Princess!" Luna begged.

"I'm no princess," the girl said softly as she stood away from the wall. Luna's eyes widened as a golden light began to surround the girl. Her long blonde hair began to stir and lift around her as she clenched her jaw and right fist. As Jupiter fell with a gurgling cry and Mercury passed out, she thrust her right hand into the air. "Venus Power... Make-Up!"

'_Venus?_' Luna thought incredulously. '_I found Venus?_' For a moment, her heart fluttered in triumph. She had accomplished the first part of her mission! She had found all four of the Princess' Guardians! The triumph melted away quickly, though, when Kunzite deflected Sailor Venus' first attack as easily as he had all of the others.

Sailor Venus did not hesitate. As soon as she saw his hands move, she began to run forward. She drew her right hand across her chest and curved her fingers around as if she were holding something circular. Kunzite watched in amazement as golden light began to sparkle and condense within her hand. Before he could shake off his surprise, she brought her hand forward and around. The crescent moon shaped locket that had appeared in her hand sliced through the front of his jacket, and then zipped towards his face as she reversed its direction. He jerked back in time, and all she managed to cut were a few long strands of white hair.

Fiercely, they began to battle. Luna quickly made her way to the fallen senshi and tried to rouse them once more. She felt her heart clench in anguish when she realized that none of them were in any condition to run, much less help Sailor Venus with the fight. Her frantic blue eyes circled from one to another as she tried to figure out what to do now.

A short scream and a loud thump suddenly drew her attention back to Sailor Venus and her opponent. Luna's heart stopped when she saw that Sailor Venus was pinned to the side of the building by several of Kunzite's beams of light. The blonde haired warrior still struggled to free herself, but Kunzite had already turned away from her, confident in his power.

He looked around the alley, and then snorted. "Is that all you have?" he sneered. "Pitiful. How could Jadeite, Nephrite, and Zoisite lose to such weaklings?" He turned his silver gaze towards Luna, who tried to crouch back into the shadows near Sailor Mars. Slowly, menacingly, he began to advance on her.

"Ru-Run," Sailor Venus tried to yell as she struggled even more frantically against the bars of light. It came out more as a choked sob, but Luna's sharp ears heard it. "Ge-Get out of h-here." Luna shook her head and pressed back against the wall soundlessly.

"Give me the Silver Crystal," Kunzite growled commandingly. "Tell me where it is, or I will..." His voice trailed off as he lifted his left hand menacingly.

Luna closed her eyes fearfully. They flew open again when she heard Kunzite cry out in pain. She stared in shock at the white tom cat who stood protectively in front of her. In front of him, Kunzite was grasping his face with both hands.

"Get out of here," the tom ordered tightly.

Luna shook her head once more. "I... I can't leave them!" she protested. Trembling, she forced herself out of the shadows to stand by his side. He turned, and gave her a hard look. She raised her chin and held his pale blue gaze with her own darker blue.

"Why you..." Kunzite growled, regaining their attention.

"Go left," the white cat ordered softly as his glare softened a little. She nodded, and crouched down. When Kunzite raised his hands again, she moved. The white cat jumped over her back and headed towards the right. The move puzzled Kunzite just enough for them to leap in and pounce on his legs above his boots. Grimly, Luna dug in with teeth and claws.

Kunzite screamed, and bent down to grab his tormentors. The white cat leapt away nimbly, tearing flesh out as he moved, but Luna dug her claws and teeth in deeper. She squeezed her eyes shut when Kunzite grabbed her by the back of the neck. For a long moment, they fought a fierce tug of war. Kunzite screamed again as he finally managed to drag her off and fling her into the side of the building.

She slipped down to the street, dazed, long ribbons of flesh dangling from her claws and a mouthful of foul tasting meat hanging from her jaws. Kunzite growled insanely as lifted his hand and threw a large bubble of light directly at her. She moved weakly, but could not make it to her feet.

Her eyes widened as Sailor Venus screamed again. "_Ar-te-mis!_" The white tom cat had thrown himself into the path of the bubble, obviously trying to protect her. The light held him suspended for a moment, and then faded away. His limp body dropped like a stone to the ground.

"N-No," Luna breathed in shock. An image flashed through her mind: a tall, dark haired man collapsing limply into her arms as blood flew everywhere. Her jaw worked soundlessly for a moment as she pushed her way back to her feet. "No!"

"Artemis! Why you..." Sailor Venus growled, blazing with fury. The bars of light snapped around her as she pushed herself away from the wall.

Kunzite ignored her, and raised his hands once more. Luna paid no attention to him. Her eyes remain fixed on the white cat. As he threw another ball of light towards her, she found herself scooped up and carried away to safety. Instantly, she began to struggle to get free.

"Luna, no," Sailor Mars ordered. She hissed as the cat's sharp claws pierced through her gloves. "Stop it, Luna. You idiot, stop!"

"Let me go!" Luna moaned. Sailor Mars winced as the claws dug in even more deeply, and instinctively loosened her grip. Instantly, Luna wiggled her way free and dashed back to Artemis' side.

Meanwhile, Sailor Venus had begun attacking Kunzite once more. Her eyes blazed as she dodged his blows and slashed at him with her locket and her own beams of light. She forced him back and around, trying to drive him out of the alley.

Sailor Mars gasped and dove to shove him out of the way as he came close to stepping on the unconscious cat. While he was unbalanced, Sailor Venus drew her locket up to her left shoulder, and then threw it quickly like a frisbee. It spun through the air and sunk itself deeply into his chest.

His hands came up instinctively to grab the little projectile, and he staggered once more. Then, he began to flash and vaporize in front of their eyes. He lifted his head, and glared furiously at Luna. The bright display finally caught her attention, and she looked up slowly. Their eyes met, silver to blue, and then he faded away entirely. The little locket fell towards the ground, and then swooped back to Sailor Venus' hand.

Luna's eyes widened as the sight of Kunzite's disappearance triggered another flashing image: Kunzite standing in front of her with a raised sword. It was quickly followed by an image of Sailor Venus standing protectively in front of her, the point of Kunzite's sword protruding from her back and Kunzite's limp body held in her faltering arms.

Faster and faster the images came. Sailor Mercury using her whole body to hold Zoisite down in a mysterious puddle of water as both of them drowned. Sailor Mars and Jadeite bobbing and weaving in unarmed combat, almost appearing to dance in the heart of the blazing inferno that surrounded them. Nephrite taunting Sailor Jupiter as she stood over Sailor Mercury's limp body. Sailor Jupiter sending out an electrical storm. Nephrite, Jadeite, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Jupiter literally frying in front of her eyes as the water conducted the electricity indiscriminately. People running. People screaming. People dying horribly. A tall, dark haired man standing protectively in front of her. A tall woman with flowing red hair standing in front of a large, dark patch that was not so much shadow but the absence of light. Blood... blood surrounding her everywhere as the tall, dark haired man collapsed in her arms. Blood. Death. Dying. Darkness. Evil. Pain. Lots and lots of heart searing pain.

"Endymion!" she cried as a white light sprang out of the crescent moon on her forehead. The silver rays of light seemed to paint her fur as they passed by. Slowly, she became pure white, and then the light formed a ball around her.

At the same time, a dark, golden-brown light sprang out of the crescent moon on Artemis' forehead. Where she was bathed in silver white light, he was washed by golden brown. Where she turned white, he turned a brown so dark it seemed black.

Sailor Venus and Sailor Mars lifted their arms to shield their eyes from the piercingly bright light. When it faded, they gasped in shock. A small woman with long, flowing white hair knelt on the ground next to a tall knight. Her long white dress seemed to glow softly, surrounding her with white light. On her face, a small, silver crescent moon blazed brightly.

"Princess..." Sailor Venus breathed in awe. Quickly, she and Sailor Mars knelt down respectfully.

"Endymion," Princess Serenity said softly. Gently, she reached out to touch his flaccid face. "Endymion? Endymion!" Her pale blue eyes widened as she frantically began to shake his shoulders.

Weakly, his eyes fluttered open. No longer were they a pale, silvery blue. Now, they were the clear, dark blue of the deep ocean. "Se-Serenity," he whispered as he struggled to lift a hand to her face. "I... I found you." A smile blossomed on his face as his eyes drank in the sight of her.

She quickly caught his hand and drew it up to her face. "Endymion! Yes, I am here. Please don't go. Please?"

"Never," he sighed as his eyes fluttered closed once more and his hand went limp in hers.

"Endymion? Endymion!" she called fearfully. Shining tears began to fall from her pale eyes. "Endymion, don't go. Please? _Endymion!_'

One of her teardrops began to glow. Slowly, it pulled away from her face, and began to spin slowly. It seemed to draw in the glow from her dress and her silver crescent moon sigil, glowing brighter and brighter. Then, it split in two. As her hand reached up to instinctively catch the small, clear gem that had coalesced out of her tear, a glowing spark fell down and into Endymion's heart.

"There it is," a low, sultry voice said. Sailor Mars and Sailor Venus stiffened instantly, and sprang to their feet as a tall, redheaded woman appeared in the alley. "There is the Silver Crystal."

The woman's voice stopped as she caught sight of the tall, dark haired man. "Endymion?" she breathed. A disbelieving smile grew on her face, and she began to laugh. "Prince Endymion. Mine at last!" The smile was replaced by a look of intense jealousy and hatred as she spotted the white haired woman who held the man she desired.

Sailor Mars and Sailor Venus threw themselves at their princess as the woman lifted the staff in her right hand and pointed it at Princess Serenity. As they knocked her back and away, Queen Beryl took the opportunity to grab Prince Endymion. As she faded out of sight with him, Princess Serenity struggled with her senshi, reaching one arm desperately after them.

"_Endymion!_" Her heart breaking scream seemed to hang on the air for several long moments. Then, she collapsed. With a flash of white light, she became Luna once more. Sailor Mars and Sailor Venus sat up, and looked down on her limp body uncertainly. Neither of them knew what to do next.


	24. Welcome Illness

2/25/06

Title: Welcome Illness  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Usagi &/or Mamoru (Optional: Sick)  
Genre: General  
Version: Manga (post StarS / pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: All of the characters used below were created by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely converted them into paper cutouts to play with for a while.

Welcome Illness

Mamoru made a one final adjustment to his tie, and then sat down on the bed next to his slumbering wife. He studied her relaxed face for a moment, and sighed gratefully. It looked like the painless streak was going to continue. Even after a month of Usagi being pain free, he still dreaded a relapse of whatever it was that had kept her bedridden for most of the past year.

"Usa?" he said tenderly as he reached out to gently brush some long, champagne blonde strands of hair off of her face. "Usa, it's time for me to go." He hated to wake her up, but he knew she would never forgive him if he left for work without saying goodbye.

He smiled as her face scrunched and twisted unhappily. "Usa, come on now..." She stirred, stretching slowly under the sheets, and then reluctantly opened up her eyes.

"Mamo-chan?" she asked groggily.

"It's time for me to go to work," he repeated as he stood up. He started to lean down towards her to kiss her goodbye.

Usagi's azure blue eyes widened in shock, suddenly wide awake. "What time is it?" she asked urgently as she sat straight up. Mamoru barely drew back in time to avoid having his chin bashed by her solid head.

He frowned as she suddenly paled and wavered. Her right hand flew to her mouth as her left hand reached urgently for the sheets. "Usa?" he asked as she stumbled out of the bed and wove her way towards the bathroom. A moment later, he heard her throwing up.

Instantly, concern flooded his features. Never in the seven years that he had known her had Usagi ever thrown up. While it was conceivable that he would not have known during the first two years when they were just dating, there was no way he would have missed it after they were married. He quickly moved to the bathroom to offer what help he could.

"Oh no," Usagi moaned few minutes later as he held a cool cloth to her forehead. She had just finished brushing her teeth and getting the foul taste of vomit out of her mouth. "I'm going to be late..."

"Late for what?" he asked, only half interested in her answer as he helped her back to the bed.

"Huh? Late for work, of course," she replied as she gave him a puzzled look. "The background artists asked for a meeting to discuss the fight scene in _The Masked Prince_."

"Usa, you're not going anywhere," he said firmly as he pushed her gently down onto the bed. She frowned up at him, refusing to lay down. "I'll call your secretary after I call the hospital to tell them I'm going to be late."

Her frown became a look of confusion. "Late? Why are you going to be late? Mamoru, let me up. I have to get dressed."

"Usa, you're sick," he replied with loving exasperation. "You're not getting dressed until I can confirm an appointment with your doctor. Until then, you're staying in bed."

She frowned up at him again. "I feel much better now. My chest doesn't hurt, and the lightheadedness has gone away. I must have sat up too fast or something."

"Lightheadedness?" he asked as he turned to snag the phone off of his nightstand. "You feel faint and dizzy, too?"

She bit her inner lip in consternation, and then smiled at him. "Not any more, I told you," she said reassuringly as she stood up and headed towards the closet. "I'm just fine now. Really!"

Ignoring her, he called the hospital, her office, and her doctor. Usagi tried to change quickly out of her nightgown, but discovered that if she moved too fast the room would start to spin around her. She swallowed as the nausea returned, but tried to keep her discomfort from showing on her face.

As she turned to go to the bathroom to brush her hair and put on her makeup, she suddenly found a thermometer in her mouth. She stopped, and stared at Mamoru with surprised eyes. They widened even more when he picked her up and carried her back over to the bed. The room spun once more at the sudden change in elevation, and she squeezed her eyes closed as she reached out to grip his shoulders tightly.

Gently, he put her down and then sat beside her to wait for the digital thermometer to beep. When it finally began to chirp, he took it out of her mouth. She leaned over curiously as he frowned down at it, and then turned to smile up at him.

"See? No fever. I'm not sick," she said as she tried to stand up again. He put a firm hand on her shoulder and held her down. "Mamoru," she protested.

"You are not going to work," he said as he gave her a hard look. "The nurse said that they could work you in about 9:30. It takes about forty five minutes to get there, so for the next hour you are going to lay in this bed and try to rest."

She glared at him mutinously for a long moment. She was sick and tired of staying in bed, and she knew that he was very aware of that fact. His expression did not soften, however, and she finally gave in with a sigh. She slipped back and around until her back was against the headboard.

He gave her a sympathetic look, and then rose to put the thermometer away. When he returned, she was still in the bed, and still not looking happy about it. He walked around the room and picked up her lap desk from the chair beside the window.

"You can call in for the meeting," he said finally as he handed it to her and turned to get her papers, pencils, and inks. "I know it won't be as good," he added as he saw her grimace of distaste, "but at least it won't waste their morning."

She nodded reluctantly. "Mamoru? Can I have some tea and rice cakes?" she asked as she arranged the papers on her lap desk. "Since you probably won't let me have a real breakfast..." she added just loud enough for him to hear. '_Not that I want any,_' she thought to herself as her stomach seemed to roll over again.

"Sure," he replied as he ran a gentle hand over her head. "Usako, I'm sorry, but... What if whatever it was has come back?"

"My chest doesn't hurt," she protested once more. "Besides, it won't come back. I told you that."

He sighed. "I know you said that, but maybe it did. Or maybe it's doing something different this time. I just want to have you checked out so we can be sure, okay?" He looked into her eyes, and let the concern he felt shine through his.

Her expression softened, and she smiled reluctantly. "Okay, Mamo-chan. I'm fine, but if it makes you feel better, okay." He gave her a grateful smile, and left to get her tea and rice cakes.

Usagi stared after him for a long moment, holding a bottle of ink, and then looked down at her lap desk. Quietly, she put the ink into one of the holes in the desk, grabbed the papers on one side and the pencils on the other, and then scooted her way out of the bed.

Slowly, her head and stomach still spinning a bit, she made her way to the living room and sat down on the couch. She frowned as she realized that she had forgotten the phone, and then shrugged it off. She arranged her papers once more, and then opened the ink bottle.

She closed it again instantly as the smell made her stomach try to come up once more. She swallowed rapidly, and pressed one hand to her lips. '_Maybe I should have stayed in the bedroom after all,_' she thought almost frantically. '_It is closer to the bathroom._' Finally, however, the nausea died back down.

She had just removed her hand from her mouth and reached for a pencil when Mamoru came out of the kitchen. He frowned when he saw that she had moved, but sighed in resignation and brought her breakfast into the living area.

After eating and drinking, her stomach seemed to settle down once more. She managed to have a decent fifteen minute teleconference with the background artists before Mamoru rushed her off of the phone and out the door to the doctor's office.

They had to wait until almost 10:00 before Usagi's name was called. She patiently explained to the nurse what had happened. The woman gave her a curious look and a smile, and then looked back at her chart once more. Usagi was a little puzzled by her reaction, but was distracted as her doctor walked into the room.

He, too, listened to her explanation, looked at her chart, and then gave her a curious smile. "Well, Tsukino-san, it could be a mild case of the stomach flu," he said as he motioned for her to climb up onto the examining table. "But let's check one more thing, shall we?" He called for the nurse, and then gave Usagi a thorough exam.

After fifteen minutes, he let her sit up, and gave her a smile. "I think congratulations might be in order, Tsukino-san," he told her. She looked at him curiously, shivering a little in the cold office. "You will need to schedule a visit with your gynecologist to be sure of course, but I would guess that you are pregnant."

Usagi blinked at him. "Of course," she said, still not sure what that had to do with anything. "About a month, I think."

He gave her a surprised look, and then smiled. "Ah, you have been to see your other doctor?"

She shook her head, still looking puzzled. "My appointment is next week, I think. But what does that have to do with my head and stomach?"

He chuckled. "Surely you have heard of morning sickness, Tsukino-san?"

Her eyes widened, and a hand went to lay protectively on her abdomen. "Morning sickness? So soon? I didn't think that started until the third month."

The doctor shook his head. "No, that's about when it starts to fade." He turned and accepted a clipboard from the nurse who had not left the room. "Keep your appointment next week," he continued as he started writing. "In the meantime, try not to get up too fast, make sure you get enough to drink, and try to rest." He caught her grimace at the last statement. "No, not bed rest, unless your other doctor recommends it or you feel you need it. Just don't over exert yourself. If the nausea gets too bad, try to eat something bland and dry, like toast or rice crackers."

He finished writing, and then turned to her once more with a smile. "It was nice seeing you again, Tsukino-san. Especially when I can actually figure out what's going on. Make sure you tell your other doctor about you heart problem. Other than that, I will have the nurse give you some literature. Have a good day."

"Thank you, doctor," Usagi said with a sudden smile. "Have a good day." After they left, she slid slowly off the exam table and began to dress once more. She paused and placed a gentle hand on her abdomen again. '_Little brat,_' she thought lovingly towards her unborn daughter. '_So you're already trying to make my life miserable, hmm?_'

She frowned as she resumed dressing. '_But why didn't Mamo-chan think of that?_' She turned this puzzling thought over and over in her head as she made her way first to the nurses' station, and then back into the waiting room.

"Usa?" Mamoru asked anxiously in a soft voice.

She smiled at him, and led him out the door. "It's just morning sickness, Mamo-chan," she finally replied as they walked down the hall. She took three more steps before she realized that Mamoru was not beside her. She turned to look back at him. "Mamo-chan?"

Mamoru looked as if he might be experiencing one of her bouts of lightheadedness. "Morning sickness," he said weakly.

"Mmmm," Usagi nodded looking concerned.

"Usa... You're pregnant?"

"Yeah," she said looking confused.

"You're..." His voice trailed off, and then he shook himself. "How... How far?" he asked, his voice cracking a little.

"About a month. Mamo-chan, what's wrong?"

"A month? How long have you known?" he asked suddenly looking hurt.

She blinked in surprise. "Since... Mamo-chan, I told you." He shook his head, and she nodded stubbornly. "I did. I told you that I made the decision, and that now my chest won't ever burn again."

He shook his head. "What does that have to do with being pregnant?" he asked, confused.

Usagi walked back towards him and looked up into his eyes. She, too, looked confused. "I decided to give up being Sailor Moon... So _ChibiUsa_ can be Sailor Moon. That was the decision. I told you that... Didn't I?"

Slowly, her husband shook his head. "I didn't? Oh." She blinked, and then reached out to touch his arm. "Hey, Mamo-chan? I decided to let ChibiUsa be Sailor Moon for a while. She'll be here in about eight months."

He looked down into her apologetic face and felt the world settle once more. Slowly, a smile bloomed on his face. It quickly became a grin as he lifted his wife up in his arms and spun her around.

"Mamo-chan!" she squealed as she got dizzy and nauseous once more.

He stopped instantly, and drew her close. Burying his nose in her hair, he took a deep breath, and then used his healing powers to soothe the nausea away. "Thank you, Usako," he murmured happily. "Thank you."


	25. Regrets post PGSM

2/26/06

Title: Regrets  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Usagi &/or Mamoru (Optional: _"It is better to sleep on things beforehand than lie awake about them afterward." -- Baltasar Gracian_)  
Genre: Drama  
Version: PGSM  
Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: All of the characters used below were created by Takeuchi Naoko and Bandai Entertainment. I have merely converted them into paper cutouts to play with for a little while.

Regrets

_"Usagi-chan!"_

Usagi bolted up-right in bed, clenching her sheets and comforter to her chest. Her dark eyes were wide and haunted, and her breathing was ragged. She stared around the dark room for a moment as if she didn't recognize it, and then slowly let herself collapse back with a soft sigh. Curled up in a ball on the desk, Luna slumbered on.

Usagi looked towards the dark purple plushie, and then towards her window. The light of the moon made the light fabric of the curtains glow softly. She turned, curled one slim arm under her pillow, and stared sadly at the light.

Almost every night, the memories invaded her dreams. The sword in her hands. The hard ground under her feet as she ran forward. The physical shock of the sword piercing Mamoru's heart. Her friends' cries of anguish and denial as she did what they could not.

And then, it got worse. Mamoru had already been dead. She knew that. She had known it before she had started her final charge. But, the shock of actually killing his body, of seeing him collapse had been more than she could bear. She had fled into the depths of her heart to escape the pain and agony.

Slowly, tears began to trickle unnoticed down Usagi's face. The soft glow of the hidden moon seemed to seek them out and glaze them with a muted golden silver.

She had forgotten. She had forgotten that she had what Ami called a split personality. She had forgotten that her other self, the Princess, did not care about anything except her precious Endymion. She had forgotten that she needed to calm and soothe her other self. She had been hurting too much to remember or to care.

And at the time, the other's madness had seemed perfectly sane. Mamoru was dead. Endymion was dead. Light had gone out of the world, and everything that was left seemed an abomination because it lived while he did not. And _she_ was the worst abomination of all because she had killed him.

Suddenly, Usagi realized that she was crying. She reached up with her free hand and tried to wipe away the tears.

If only she had been stronger. If only she could have controlled the Crystal. Maybe then, Metallia would not have grown so strong, and he could have controlled it the way he had planned. But she was weak, and in the end her weakness had cost him his life and his body.

The memories did not stop there, though. She remembered the looks on her friends' faces. Like Mamoru, Minako was already gone, but Ami, Rei, and Makoto had looked both anguished and terrified. When she had walked away, intent on joining Mamoru in death, they had followed.

She had sent youma after them. She shuddered as she remembered that. She was no better than Metallia. She had sent youma to attack her friends, to keep them from stopping her. At the time, she had seen them only as obstacles, but now she remembered every cut, every burn that those youma had given the three senshi.

And she remembered their faces. She remembered Sailor Mercury's, no, Ami's anguished cry as she finally released the great power of the Crystal and destroyed the world.

She had regretted it as soon as the burning power exhausted itself. She still regretted it. She did not know why they had called her back, why their souls had yearned for a murderess like her to return.

Maybe it was because they did not remember. Somehow, when she had recreated the world and reset time, she had changed their memories. Usagi frowned as the image of a tall woman hidden in shadows flashed through her mind.

No, her friends no longer remembered that they had once been senshi. They did not remember any of the battles. And they certainly did not remember her betrayal. And while she missed the extra closeness those times had brought, changing their memories was the one thing she did not regret.

Usagi brushed at her tears again, and sniffled loudly. '_Never again,_' she resolved. '_Never again will I act without thinking about the consequences. Papa is always saying that all important decisions should be slept on. That's what I am going to do from now on._' Resolutely, she nodded her head and turned over to lie on her back.

Sleep would be a long time in coming, she knew. She decided to use the time deciding what to wear to the airport to see Ami off to the American medical school she had been chosen to attend.

*~*~*~*~*~*

A/N: Canon says nothing about the senshi losing their memories, although it does imply that time has been reset. That twist was my own invention for my story _Lonely Harp_ (.net/s/2525401/1/).


	26. Story Time

2/27/06

Title: Story Time  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Usagi &/or Mamoru (Optional: Child Rearing)  
Genre: General (WAFF)  
Version: Manga (post StarS / pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: All of the characters used below were created by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely converted them into paper cutouts to play with for a while.

Story Time

Usagi looked at the food cooling on the table, and then at the clock. She frowned when she realized that Mamoru had been back in ChibiUsa's room for almost twenty minutes. It didn't take that long to read a bedtime story to a seventeen month old.

She walked back towards ChibiUsa's bedroom, half certain she would find her husband draped across the toddler's bed sound asleep and ChibiUsa playing with her dolls. The question was whether those dolls thought that Papa was part of the game, or if they had decided to play in their house this time.

When she opened up the door, she looked around in surprise. The room was empty. "Mamoru?" she called. She waited a few seconds, then closed the door and walked towards their bedroom. It was also empty. As she was turning with a frown to go back towards the front, a movement outside the window caught her eye.

She walked over and brushed the sunny yellow curtains to one side. Her eyes widened in surprise as she realized that Mamoru had taken ChibiUsa outside into the cold, early January night. Puzzled, she hurried back to the front of the house for her coat, and then slipped into the backyard.

"So, what else can we show you tonight, hmm?" she heard Mamoru ask as he shifted his small daughter from one arm to the other. "We've said hello to Orion, the Bear, the Dragon, the Swan, the Dolphin, the Eagle, the Whale, your best friend Pegasus..."

"Moon!" the little girl exclaimed. Usagi grinned suddenly at the demand. Moon had been the fourth word ChibiUsa had learned, right after Mama, Papa, and Luna. It was her absolute favorite night time object, not counting her little stuffed bunny.

"No, sorry sweetheart. Your moon is still sleeping. But if you look over there, you can see Mercury, Neptune, Uranus, Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter." He pointed the distant planets out as he said their names. The two Usagis looked curiously at the sky, one in his arms and one unseen behind him. "Can you see them?" Both of them shook their heads.

"Way down low there... See that really bright star?"

They looked closely. "See, Papa, see!" ChibiUsa exclaimed in excitement as she clapped her hands together. Usagi and Mamoru both grinned lovingly at her.

"Well, that bright star is one of Moon's best friends. Her name is Mercury, and she's really, really smart. She's also a bit shy, too, so she doesn't usually come up too high in the sky. And right next to her... That really faint blue star? That's their friend Neptune. Neptune is far away, playing in the ocean of stars, so she is sometimes hard to see."

"Okay, this one will be harder," he said as he traced his finger in an arc along the sky. "That faint star right there? That is Uranus."

"Frien'?" ChibiUsa asked curiously as she turned to look at her father's face.

Mamoru nodded. "Yes, she's one of their friends, too. She really likes Neptune, so she plays out in the ocean of stars, too. I bet she's running to catch up to Mercury and Neptune right now. And over there, do you see that orangey looking one?" The two Usagis nodded. "That is Mars. She likes fire, so that's why she looks so red orange."

"Hot," ChibiUsa said with a frown as she drew closer to her father.

He smiled. "Yes, fire is hot, but Mars won't burn you. You never, ever have to be afraid of Mars' fire, okay?"

ChibiUsa shot him a doubtful look, but nodded slowly. "'kay, Papa." Usagi quickly raised a hand to her mouth to hold back a laugh.

"Now, if we look way over there... We see Saturn. She's really pretty, like a purple and pink striped Easter egg, but she's so far away you can't see it." ChibiUsa leaned a little out of Mamoru's arms in an attempt to get a better look. "She gets a little lonely sometimes, but Moon and the others always try to say hi to her when they can. Like over there. That bright one is Jupiter. Next to Venus and Moon, she's the biggest, brightest one in the sky."

"Be-nus?" ChibiUsa asked curiously, looking around. She pointed to another red orange star, and then looked at him expectantly. "Be-nus?"

"No. Good guess, though. No, that is a star that's a long way away named Antares. Venus is sleeping right now so that she can play with the sun early tomorrow morning."

"Speaking of which," Usagi said as she finally stepped forward, "you should be sleeping, too. It's past your bedtime, and Papa's dinner is getting cold."

The two stargazers jumped, and turned to look at her. Mamoru held out an inviting arm, and she slipped into his embrace. Wrapping one arm around him, she gave him a hug. All the while, she watched her daughter's gathering frown.

"No seep," the little toddler huffed as she crossed her arms across her chest. Her soft pink pigtails bounced with the move. She glowered rebelliously at her mother with dark pink eyes.

"Yes, sleep," Usagi said with a smile as she reached up to pet the girl's cheek. Her eyes widened when she realized how cold it was. "Ah, you're freezing! Where is your hat? And your gloves?"

ChibiUsa drew away and tried to burrow into her father's shoulder. "No," she said, still frowning.

Mamoru turned around, pulling Usagi gently with him, and started back towards the house. "Yes," he replied. "Bed time story is done. Now it's time for little girls to warm up and go to sleep."

ChibiUsa's lower lip trembled as she threw her arms around her father's neck. "No! Papa!"

Usagi opened the door, and then stood back to allow her husband and child to enter. Mamoru gave her a thankful smile, and then proceeded to carry ChibiUsa to her room. As Usagi re-heated his late dinner, she listened to their stubborn little girl beg for one more story.


	27. Unexpected Treasure

2/28/06

Title: Unexpected Treasure  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Usagi &/or Mamoru (Optional: After the Fall)  
Genre: General / Drama  
Version: Manga (post StarS / pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: All of the characters below were created by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely converted them into paper cutouts to play with for a little while.

Unexpected Treasure

Usagi pouted a little as she dug through the drawers of the desk. '_Surely there's some paper around here somewhere,_' she groused to herself as she searched. With a sigh, she shut that drawer and opened the next. So far, all she had found were some bank statements, a stack of bills, and some envelopes, none of which would help her with her homework assignments.

She glanced in the drawer, and let out a soft exclamation of satisfaction as she saw a tablet of blank paper. As she drew it out, something in the shadows in the back of the drawer caught her eye. Curious, she put the tablet down and reached in again. She pulled out a medium sized box.

She tilted her head to one side as she sat down in front of the desk and studied it. It looked like a glass jewelry box or a little display case. Four common looking, polished stones rested inside of it. '_Mamo-chan collects rocks?_' she thought to herself in surprise. '_I never knew that._'

The stone on the far left was a dark green with black streaks and yellow highlights. Next to it, was another green stone shaped like a diamond. It was a lighter shade of green with white streaks and reddish purple spot right in the center. The next stone in line, a square cut rock that was pink with white streaks, seemed to have purple highlights as well. And the last stone, which was kind of round, was a pure jade green with just a hint of a lighter green swirl.

The beautiful pink stone caught Usagi's attention the most, and she wondered absently why it was so different from the rest. The longer she looked at it, the more she wished to hold it. They all called to her, but the pink stone drew her the most.

Carefully, she opened the lid of the box and reached for it. Her hand froze and her eyes widened in shock as she felt a large surge of power erupt from the stones. Quickly, she drew her hand back and leaned away. She watched breathless with surprise and fear as the power formed into waves, and then lines. When the lines began to form images that she recognized, she gasped, stumbled out of the chair, and headed for the door.

"_Princess._"

She froze as the whisper seemed to echo around the room. Slowly, with her hand still on the door knob, she turned to look back at the stones. Queen Beryl's four generals looked at her with with varying expressions of amusement. Kunzite hovered over the pink stone, with Jadeite over the jade green stone to his left and Zoisite over the stone with the purple spot to his right. Nephrite was on the end opposite Jadeite hovering over the green stone with the dark streaks and yellow highlights.

Finally, seeing that she was not going to run any further, Kunzite moved one arm elegantly across his chest, and bowed politely. His fellow Shitennou quickly followed suit. "_Greetings, Princess,_" Kunzite whispered. Once again, his voice echoed softly around the room.

"Um... He-Hello," she replied shakily.

"_You need not fear,_" Kunzite whispered with a reassuring smile. "_We are free of Beryl's and Metallia's taint._"

Slowly, Usagi nodded her head and relaxed. "Y-yes. I can sense that. But, what are you doing here? In Mamo-chan's office?"

"_Waiting,_" Jadeite whispered. His voice sounded more like a crackle than an echo, but somehow she could understand him clearly. "_Waiting until the next time our Master needs us. Or you?_" He looked at her curiously.

Quickly she shook her head. "No. No, I was just looking for some paper. I didn't really need anything." Suddenly, she frowned. "But, why does he keep you hidden in here?" The four spirits silently shook their heads and looked at her expectantly. She raised a hand to her jaw and pondered the situation silently for a few moments.

"_If that is all, Princess?_" Zoisite whispered, his voice like a blowing wind.

"Hmm? Oh yes. Yes, I'm sorry," Usagi replied as she looked to them once more. "You can rest again if you would like." Looking amused once more, the four spirits bowed and retreated back to their stones. Usagi walked across the room and gently closed the lid once more.

Leaving the box on the desk, she picked up the tablet of paper and walked back to the living area in the front of the apartment. She sat down on the couch, looked over her homework assignment, and then pushed it aside so that she could think some more about the four stones she had found hidden in her husband's desk.

For a short while, she wondered how he could have found them, but she quickly moved on to why he would keep them hidden from her, and then to how she felt about them. They were no longer evil. As she had told Kunzite, she had sensed that rather quickly. And, Jadeite had called Mamoru "Master" she remembered.

That triggered a few random memories from her life as Princess Serenity, and suddenly she knew exactly who they were and what they meant to her husband. She looked back towards the office with another frown wondering why he had not asked her to use her Crystal to revive them. Or better yet, why had he not used his own Crystal to bring them back?

Several hours later, Mamoru let himself into the apartment and announced that he was home. "Usa?" he called curiously when she did not respond. Kicking off his shoes, he walked into the living area of the apartment. Automatically, he looked towards the dining area, and then walked around so he could peer into the kitchen. "Usa? Are you home?"

As he turned back to walk towards the bedroom, a bright flash of light caught his eye. He looked towards the living area once more, and stared in surprise. The glass jewel box was sitting on the coffee table shining in an afternoon sunbeam. Slowly, he walked towards it.

"Mamo-chan!" Usagi said in a surprised voice as she stepped out of the bedroom. She hurried to him with a bright smile on her face. "Welcome home!" He wrapped one long arm around her and absently returned her hug.

"Usa... What...? How...?"

"Hmm?" she asked as he broke off. She looked up at him curiously, and then over at the box shining on the table. "Oh." Her smile faded into an uncertain look. "Um... That. I... I thought that they might enjoy a little sunshine for a change."

He shot her a look. "You know?"

She nodded. "I found them by accident, and, well... Mamo-chan? Why did you hide them in the drawer?"

"I thought they might make you uncomfortable," he said as he guided her to the couch. She frowned up at him. "They were your first enemies after all."

"They're not enemies," she exclaimed as she shook her head. "They're your Guard. Like Venus and the others are for me."

He looked at her in surprise, and then smiled. "Of course. I didn't think you would remember that," he added after a pause.

"Idiot," she said as she hugged him. "Of course I remember." She stopped and considered her next words carefully. "Mamo-chan? Why... Why are they still like that?"

"They have no bodies to return to," he said softly as he reached out to touch the box. "Everything was destroyed by Metallia's evil."

"But we could..." She stopped when he shook his head gently.

He turned to look at her. "Maybe one day they will come back. For now, they are happy like this." He smiled as she frowned at the box. "I won't hide them in the desk any more," he said reassuringly. "We'll put them back up on the bookcase where I had them before."

Usagi shook her head. "No, I like them right there. That way, they can enjoy all the sunlight and see everything that is going on." She looked up at him. "Besides, I like the way they sparkle in the sun." Eventually, Mamoru gave in.


	28. Sugar Snow

Title: Sugar Snow  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP / Sugar  
Genre: Romance / General / Crossover (A Little Snow Fairy Sugar)  
Version: Manga (post StarS / pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: G  
Word Count: ~1,387

Disclaimer: My one true pairing (Usagi and Mamoru) sprang complete from the mind of Takeuchi Naoko, and they still belong to her. These little chocolate simulacrums, however are mine! *hugs the chocolate protectively to her chest* Sugar and her friends Salt, Pepper, Turmeric, and Ginger belong to Haruka Aoi, PROJECT SUGAR, and other people, not to me. These marshmallows, however, are mine! ^-^

Sugar Snow

"Waaaa..." Sugar landed on the branch of a flowering sakura tree and stared in awe at the delicate white and pink blossoms. The park was full of the trees, all in full bloom. Standing in the tree was like standing in one of Turmeric's cloud structures. Or, better yet, one of Salt's. He liked to play with lines and hidden pictures more than his mentor.

The park was also crowded with people. The voices of a group of men and women below her caught her attention, and she smiled as they laughed at silly jokes and drank toasts to the beauty of the flowers.

Suddenly, her small face grew determined. "I can't loose to these pretty flowers!" she exclaimed as she threw a clenched fist into the air. "These beautiful, warm, sweet flowers... I shall make a snow worthy of them!" And then, with a grin, she drew out her piccolo and lifted it to her little lips. With her face scrunched in concentration, she began to play a sweet, light melody. Tiny, pinpoint snowflakes began to fall softly from the sky. The longer she played, the more her face relaxed, until she was smiling dreamily around the mouthpiece.

"Hey, Aoi-san... Wha-whas zat on y'r face," she heard one of the business men below her asked a few moments later.

"Haha," another one laughed. "You got flowers stickin' to y'r face..."

"What? Wait... That's no flower! It's... It's..." a woman replied.

"It's snow," another woman exclaimed in surprise. Her voice quickly became irritable. "Snow? During hanami? No! That can't happen! Stop! Stop, snow!"

The group of people laughed. "Y' can' stop snow by yellin' at it, Aoi-san," the first man said.

"But what about the flowers? They'll freeze! And then there'll be no more hanami! We'll have to go back to the office!" Aoi replied anxiously. The group hushed for a moment as they considered her statement, and then they all began to yell for the snow to stop.

'_I wouldn't hurt the flowers,_' Sugar thought at them, stung. '_It's a warm snow. A sweet snow. Like the flowers..._' Their cries however, finally made her drop the piccolo away from her mouth. With tears streaming down her face, she fluttered her shimmering wings and raced away to find another tree.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Hey, Mamo-chan! Look!" Usagi squealed as she pulled her tall fiancé behind her. He smiled patiently at her grinning face. "Snow! It's snow!"

She let go of his arm and dashed in front of him with her arms out to the side. She spun in a circle, laughing, as her blonde hair and her uniform skirt flared around her. His smile widened when she stopped, lifted her face to the sky, and opened her mouth to catch one of the tiny snowflakes. "Mmmm... Warm..." she murmured as a few lingering flakes dusted across her face.

Mamoru laughed at her. "Warm? How can snow be warm?" he asked as he shook his head at her silliness.

"It just is." Her illogical reply caught the attention of the fleeing snow fairy. A meter or so overhead, Sugar came to a stop and looked at the couple curiously as she wiped at the tears on her face. "It's sweet, too," the blonde girl continued as she nodded her head firmly at the man.

"Sweet...," he replied. He stared at her shining face, momentarily distracted from the conversation.

"Mmm! Sweet. Like... Sugar! It's sugar snow," Usagi laughed. She tilted her face back up to the sky, and her expression became disappointed. "It stopped..."

Sugar sniffed, and gave her face one last rub. "They didn't like it," she said to the girl even though she knew the blonde would not hear her. Very few humans could see the season fairies, and those few were either very young or very old.

Usagi started at the strange voice. "Who didn't like it?" she asked curiously as she and Mamoru looked around for the child who had spoken.

"Those people over by that tree," Sugar replied automatically. Her head jerked back suddenly in surprise. "Wait. You heard me?"

"Of course," Usagi answered, still looking for the speaker. "And don't listen to them. They're drunk. They don't mean anything." Her searching eyes finally found the small teenager floating above her. "Waaa! How cute!!"

"And you see me!" Sugar exclaimed as her face brightened. She clapped her hands together in front of her in excitement as she flew closer. "You see me! How can you see me?"

Usagi blinked. "Well... You're right there. How could I not see you?" she asked curiously. She turned to smile reassuringly up at Mamoru as he slid a gentle hand onto her shoulder. "Do you see her, too, Mamo-chan?"

"Yes," he replied. He nodded to the little fairy hovering above them, and then glanced around the park to see whether or not they were being observed. No one seemed to be paying any particular attention to them.

He turned his eyes back to the small fairy, reaching instinctively with his mind to test her aura. If she was a threat, he would take care of her quickly. The warm, pink lightness that he felt reassured him, though, and he smiled. "I am Mamoru, and this is Usagi."

"I'm Sugar," the fairy answered as she stared at the handsome man in awe. She shook her head suddenly, and then bowed politely. "I am Season Snow Fairy Sugar. I am very pleased to meet you, Mamoru and Usagi." Smiling brightly, Usagi returned her bow.

"You really liked my snow?" Sugar asked as she tilted her head to the side.

"Yes!" Usagi replied. She paused, and then looked at the tiny girl with wide eyes as what Sugar had said finally processed. "Wait... Season Snow Fairy... You made that snow?!"

"Yep!" Sugar chirped as she nodded. "And you don't think it will hurt the pretty flowers?"

Usagi laughed. "It was so warm and sweet... How could it hurt the flowers?"

"You were not going to make the weather very cold, were you? Or bring ice as well as snow?" Mamoru asked thoughtfully. Sugar shook her head emphatically from side to side. "Or make so much snow that the flowers will be buried or the branches will get heavy?" Sugar continued to shake her head. The young man smiled at her reassuringly. "Then I do not see how you will hurt them."

"See?" Usagi exclaimed brightly. "If Mamo-chan says you won't hurt them, then you won't. So just ignore those old people over there." She smiled expectantly at Sugar, who returned it happily.

"Right! Then, let's see..." Summoning her piccolo once more, the little fairy raised it to her lips. She took a couple of deep breaths to calm her nervousness, closed her eyes, and tried to remember the melody that she had been playing. And then, blowing gently into the small instrument, she began to play.

The couple below her stared at her, entranced by the sweet sound. Around the park, the gentle snowfall began again. This time, Sugar heard the exclamations of surprise and joy mixed in with the worry for the flowers. She heard the distinctive voices of children squealing with delight as they raced around and tried to catch her tiny, warm snowflakes.

When she felt the time was right, Sugar brought the song to a close and lowered the piccolo with a happy sigh. "That was so beautiful," Usagi said softly from below. The snow fairy opened her eyes and looked down into the couple's shining eyes. "Thank you," Usagi whispered.

Sugar shook her head as a blush stole across her cheeks. "Thank you," she said with a small bow. "I have to go now, but I hope we meet again some day."

"Yes," Usagi replied as she and Mamoru nodded. "Take care!"

"Take care!" Sugar called as she turned to fly away. "Bye-bye!"

"Bye-bye!" "Farewell," the young couple called.

Mamoru turned to his fiancée, and then chuckled warmly. "What?" she asked anxiously.

He just continued to chuckle as he reached out and brushed the snow off of her hair. "Powder sugar odango," he said as she blinked up at him. He leaned closer, speaking softly just to her. "You were already sweet enough." Usagi's blush was the only reply he needed.


	29. Chocolate Cravings

**Title: Chocolate Cravings  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP / "**_Those who restrain their desires, do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained._**" – William Blake  
Genre: General / Humor  
Version: Anime / Manga (post StarS / pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: G  
Word Count: ~933**

Disclaimer: My one true pairing (Usagi and Mamoru) sprang complete from the mind of Takeuchi Naoko, and they still belong to her. These little chocolate simulacrums, however are mine! *hugs the chocolate protectively to her chest*  


Chocolate Cravings

"Oh finally!" Usagi exclaimed as she rushed into her favorite snack shop and arcade. Bypassing all of her favorite games, she made a beeline for the front counter. "Onii-san!" she called urgently. "Onii-san!"

Following more slowly, Mamoru gave his fiancée an amused look. "Give him a chance, Usako."

"Ah! Unazaki-chan!" Usagi called brightly as she ignored him.

"Good afternoon, Usagi-chan," the older girl replied with a smile as she hurried to the counter. "I'm afraid Onii-san isn't here today. He has a test that he needs to study for. Can I help you?" she asked as she came to a stop in front of Usagi.

The blonde reached out and grabbed both of the other girl's hands. "I need chocolate," she said in a near desperate voice. Her azure eyes stared deeply into Unazki's green ones. "Please? Chocolate?"

The other girl started, and then smiled sympathetically. "Maybe a Death By Chocolate sundae?" she asked.

Usagi's eyes widened. "Perfect...," she breathed and then nodded enthusiastically.

Unazaki nodded back and carefully freed her hands. "And what about you, Mamoru-san? Would you like something? Cream soda? Hot chocolate?"

"I'll just have some water," he replied as he slipped a hand around Usagi's elbow. "Or better yet, Lemon Ramune?" After Unazaki had nodded and repeated their order, he guided his fiancée to a nearby table.

"You are not having any hot chocolate?" Usagi asked as she sat down. Her voice and her eyes were disappointed as she watched him take his seat across from her.

He shook his head. "No, not today. Why?"

"Oh, no reason," she replied as she suddenly looked away. "I was just curious, that's all."

He eyed her uncertainly for a moment, and then changed the topic. "So, how was school today? Did you learn anything interesting?"

"It was okay, I guess," she mumbled as she reached out to play with a napkin.

"Did you get your test back?" He smiled as her face suddenly brightened and she turned to him animatedly.

"Oh yes! I passed! Can you believe that? I passed. And it's all thanks to you, Mamo-chan! If you hadn't've explained how the Egyptians used algebra to build the pyramids, I would've failed!" she gushed happily. He smiled and listened to her talk about her classes and friends until Unazaki arrived with their order.

Usagi squealed with delight as she picked up her spoon and scooped out a large section of the chocolate ice cream. She quickly popped it into her mouth, and then sighed with pleasure as the rich flavor finally began to satisfy her craving.

"Oh!" she exclaimed as she opened her eyes. "Unazaki-chan, could I have some hot chocolate, please?" she called after the waitress.

"Hot chocolate?" Mamoru asked with an uncertain expression. He noticed that their waitress did not even bat an eyelash as she lifted a hand in acknowledgment and hurried back to the counter.

"Mm... Lemon ramune just doesn't go with Death By Chocolate," she replied.

"So much chocolate," he said with a frown. "Really, Usako..."

"Just because you can resist it doesn't mean I can. My desire is obviously stronger," she replied somewhat huffily. She scooped out another serving and popped it into her mouth.

"What?" he asked in an astonished voice.

"You know... Like Shakespeare-san said. 'Those who restrain their desires, do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained.' Obviously, your desire for chocolate is weak."

He blinked at her, still frowning. "That wasn't Shakespeare..." he muttered. Then, his mind made the proper connection. "It was Blake. William Blake." He paused, and then eyed his girlfriend with amazement. "You got the quote exactly right."

"Of course," she replied, looking a little hurt. "I'm not like Minako-chan. I can keep my quotes straight."

"Sorry," he reassured her hastily. "But, where did you hear it?" He smiled at Unazaki as she slid a full cup of hot chocolate in front of Usagi.

Usagi beamed up at the other girl and lifted the cup carefully. "Oooo, whipped cream, too!"

"Of course," Unazaki replied with a wink. "If you need anything else, just let me know."

"Usako?" Mamaru said after giving her a chance to sip her drink a few times. "Where did you learn Blake-san's quote?"

"English class, of course," she replied as she attacked her sundae once more.

"Of course..." he repeated as he studied her chocolate smeared face. He smothered a chuckle at the sight, and then reached out for her cup. As she blinked at him in surprise, he took a sip of her hot chocolate deliberately placing his mouth where hers had been.

"Mamo-chan!" she whined good naturedly as he savored the rich taste of the drink.

"Guess my desire is stronger than you thought," he teased as she pouted playfully at him.

"Then order your own," she replied as she reached for her cup.

He drew it away from her with one hand, and grabbed her reaching hand with his other. "I'd rather share yours," he replied as he took another sip.

She watched him for a long moment, and then sighed. "Then share." Slowly, he handed the cup back to her. Keeping her eyes fastened to his, she took another sip.

Across the room, Unazaki sighed happily at the romantic sight of the two lovers sharing an indirect kiss. And then, she quickly began to prepare another cup of hot chocolate. Mamoru-san might be sweetly romantic, but he was apparently blind to the signs of PMS. She knew that Usagi would be needing more soon.


	30. A Slice of Normal Life

Title: A Slice of Normal Life  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP / Inside Out  
Genre: General / Humor  
Version: Manga (post StarS / pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: G  
Word Count: ~1006

Disclaimer: My one true pairing (Usagi and Mamoru) and their lovely little daughter sprang complete from the mind of Takeuchi Naoko, and they still belong to her. These little chocolate simulacrums, however are mine! *hugs the chocolate protectively to her chest*

A Slice of Normal Life

Fighting with the heavy plastic bags, Usagi opened the door to her house. Her irritated frown melted into a bright smile as she heard her young daughter's laughter coming from somewhere close by. "I'm home," she called as she stepped inside and put her burden down.

"Mama! Mama! Mama!"

Usagi had just enough time to step back into the doorway and squat down before a pink haired toddler raced around the corner and crashed into her. "Hello, darling," she murmured as she pulled her daughter into a tight hug.

"Mama!" ChibiUsa exclaimed happily as she tossed her arms around her mother's neck and returned the hug. "Chibyusa new dress," she continued a moment later as she squirmed to get free. Reluctantly, Usagi let her go. The 21 month old stepped back and twirled around clumsily. "See? See? Go wide!"

"It sure does," Usagi agreed as she watched the dark blue skirt bell out slightly from her daughter's chubby little legs. She noted with some amusement that the jumper was not only too large for the girl, it was on inside out. Hearing a footstep, she looked up and smiled brightly into her husband's eyes. "Mamoru. I'm home!"

"Welcome back," he replied as he smiled back at her. She noticed that he still looked tired, and quietly resolved to take ChibiUsa out for a while so that he could get a good nap. "Let me help you with those," he continued as he reached for the grocery bags.

"Chibyusa, too! Chibyusa, too! Chibyusa help," the pink haired toddler exclaimed as she snatched at one of the bags. She tugged at it as she glared up at her father.

"That one's too heavy," he replied as he tried to gently pull it away from her. "You can help with another one."

Before her daughter could fuss, Usagi turned towards the door. "Here. You can carry this one for Mama," she called. Carefully, she lifted the bag holding the bread off of the top of the cart she used to transport the food from the store. ChibiUsa immediately let go of the other bag and reached eagerly for the one Usagi handed to her. "No, don't hug this one," Usagi said hurriedly as she bent down again. "It has the bread in it so we have to carry it by the handle."

"'kay!" the little girl chirped in reply. Her mother adjusted her hands so that they were up near her mouth, and then let the child go.

"Rough morning?" Usagi asked as they watched ChibiUsa carry her burden around the corner of the entryway, the bag bumping her stomach and shins with each quick step.

"Not really," he replied as he handed her the two bags that he had picked up. Moving her gently out of the doorway, he reached for the cart, pulled it into the house, and closed the door.

"Mmm-hmm," Usagi hummed knowingly as she moved out of his way and slipped her outdoor shoes off of her feet. "Second bag on the right has light boxes in it," she added as she heard their daughter's footsteps racing back towards them. Mamoru lifted it out and held it down to ChibiUsa just as she rounded the corner. She grinned up at him, snapped her arms around the bag to hug it, and turned around again.

"So…," Usagi said as she followed him towards the kitchen. "Why is her dress on inside out?" Her amused eyes watched as he stiffened and paused for just a second before continuing towards the kitchen.

"It looks better that way," he mumbled.

"Excuse me?" she asked trying to keep her laughter out of her voice. His cheeks had flushed slightly, a sure sign that he was embarrassed by his statement.

"It looks better that way," he said a little louder as he turned to glare at her. He sighed and gave up when he saw her lift a hand to her mouth. She might have been successful in keeping the laughter from coming out, but it still danced inside her eyes. His lips twitched in response, and then he turned back towards the kitchen. "Or, so she said."

"Admit it," Usagi replied laughingly as she put her bags on the counter. "She just has you wrapped around her little finger like always."

"I am not," he replied haughtily as he began to unload the cart.

"Right. Put these under the counter, darling," Usagi told her daughter as she began lifting cans out of the bags. Happily, ChibiUsa opened the cabinet and began to do as her mother asked.

Mamoru remembered the scene that had taken place only a half an hour before. His daughter's stubborn insistence that she had to change clothes again. Her determination to wear the blue jumper even though it was still too large for her. The loud wailing and tears when he had tried to put her in what used to be her favorite play clothes. By the time she had worn him down and he had agreed to let her wear the dress, he had no energy left to insist that she put it on inside right. If she insisted that inside out looked better, so be it.

The sound of an argument drew him out of his reverie, and he paused in his task of putting away the milk to watch with an amused smile. He knew the real reason that he had lost the battle earlier. His darling daughter was truly her mother's heir, and there was no one in the world more stubborn or determined than his girls when they set their minds to something. This made life noisy sometimes, but he would not have traded it for anything.

Setting the milk inside the refrigerator, he rescued the snack crackers and put them away. "If you hurry, we can go for ice cream," he told them as they looked at him reproachfully. Mother and daughter exchanged a quick glance, and then began to hurriedly put the remainder of the groceries away.


	31. Unexpected Vacation

Title: Unexpected Vacation  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP / Canceled  
Genre: General / Romance  
Version: Manga (post StarS / pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: PG-13  
Word Count: ~921

Disclaimer: My one true pairing (Usagi and Mamoru) sprang complete from the mind of Takeuchi Naoko, and they still belong to her. These little chocolate simulacrums, however are mine! *hugs the chocolate protectively to her chest*

Unexpected Vacation

"Tsukino."

"Mamoru-kun, I'm so glad I caught you," a familiar voice said from the other end of the line.

Mamoru put down his pen and gave his caller his complete attention. "Dr. Norita. What can I do for you, sir? Has something come up for the conference next week?"

"Actually, that is what I wish to talk to you about," his mentor replied. "I just received a call from Dr. Lang. It appears that several of the key speakers were involved in an accident, and so they have decided to cancel."

"I hope everyone is all right," Mamoru said as he sat up straighter in his chair.

"I believe there were some fairly serious injuries," Dr. Norita said. "No one died, but Dr. Wu had to have extensive surgery and Dr. Bartleson is in serious condition. They are the only ones Dr. Lang mentioned by name, but you can see that this cancellation was necessary."

"Certainly, sir," Mamoru replied.

"So, since you have been putting in so much time to prepare for this conference, and since the schedule is set for you to be out next week anyway, I suggest that you take advantage of these unfortunate circumstances."

"Sir?"

"Enjoy your vacation, Mamoru-kun. If you can, get out of town so they cannot call you in," the older doctor replied with a smile in his voice. "I will be doing the same."

"Thank you, sir," Mamoru replied, still surprised. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, he hung up the phone and stared absently at the wall over his desk. Slowly, a smile bloomed on his face and he picked the phone back up again.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I'm home," he called as he walked into the apartment.

"Welcome back!" Usagi called automatically from the back of the apartment. Smothering a smile, Mamoru slipped off his shoes and went to find his wife of three and a half years.

She was searching through her closet when he entered the bedroom, and he took a moment to admire her slim beauty. She was dressed in a light kimono which clung lightly to her damp skin. Her pale blonde hair was still looped up from her recent bath giving him a wonderful view of her slender neck.

Sensing his presence, Usagi turned to smile over her shoulder. "I'll be ready in a few minutes," she said reassuringly. "Did you want to clean up first? Do we have time?"

"Plenty of time," he replied as he stopped behind her. "Our dinner reservation was canceled."

She blinked at him in surprise as he gave into temptation and reached out to slide his hands up the smooth silk covering her arms. "Canceled? Why? What happened?" she asked as she leaned instinctively into the caress. "Did they say?"

"There was an accident," he replied absently as he moved his hands up onto her shoulders and then back down her arms again.

"Accident?" Usagi's sharp voice made him start and look at her in surprise. "Is Mako-chan okay? What happened?"

Mamoru shook his head as he restrained her from going to the phone. "Makoto is all right," he said reassuringly. "The accident wasn't at the restaurant."

"Oh." As he turned her around and pulled her into his arms, Usagi relaxed. "Then why did they cancel? Where was the accident?"

"They didn't cancel," he replied as he ran his hands down her back. "I did."

Usagi blinked, suddenly becoming aware of his actions. "You did? Mamoru? Why? And why did you say there was an accident?" She shivered as his hands drifted lower, and then reached up to his shoulders for balance as he pulled her closer. Her eyes drifted shut as he nuzzled the side of her neck.

"I thought you might like to eat at your parents' house instead," he murmured into her pale skin.

Usagi shivered, and then tensed up again. "My parents? Why? Was the accident there? Is everyone all right?" She frowned at him when he began to chuckle.

"Everyone is fine," he replied as he straightened up, still holding her close. "The accident involved some of the key speakers for the conference, so they canceled it."

"Your conference is canceled?" she asked, not sure that she had heard right. When he nodded, she continued. "So, you do not have to leave first thing tomorrow morning for Keihanshin? You will be home all next week?" Her face brightened at this welcome news.

Slowly, Mamoru shook his head and pulled her closer. "No. I will be leaving early tomorrow morning as planned." When her face fell, he squeezed her gently. "If I can get my beautiful wife up that early, that is," he teased. "I would rather travel with her than have to come back to the station for her."

Usagi blinked. "Your wife... Me? I'm going, too?" When Mamoru laughed, she swatted him lightly. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I just did," he said as he took a step backwards. Since she was still in his arms, she was drawn along with him.

"We're going to Keihanshin together? I can see the autumn leaves in Kyoto? And eat takoyaki in Osaka?"

"Mm-hmmm..." he murmured absently as he finally felt the bed behind him. He sat down, and then carefully pulled her down beside him as he laid back.

"Ma-Mamoru," Usagi said breathlessly as his hands smoothed firmly down over her hips warming the silk that was against her skin. He merely kissed her in reply determined to start his unexpected vacation right away.


	32. Sailor Sky

Title: Sailor Sky  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP / Red  
Genre: General / Romance  
Version: Manga (Silver Millennium)  
Rating: PG-13  
Word Count: ~844

Disclaimer: My one true pairing (Usagi and Mamoru) sprang complete from the mind of Takeuchi Naoko, and they still belong to her. These little chocolate simulacrums, however are mine! *hugs the chocolate protectively to her chest*

Sailor Sky

_"____Red sky at night, sailor's delight...__" -- Old Saying_

"___Oh, a sailor sky made a perfect sunset  
And that's the day I'll never forget...__" -- Something Like That by Tim McGraw _

Princess Serenity stared at the sky entranced. Never in her life had she seen such a beautiful sight. The blue sky that she had admired so many times in her previous visits to Earth was now filled with rich, warm color. Bright yellow blended into a warm orange, and set right in the middle was a fiery sun. She had never seen the bright central star of the system look so large or red as it did then sinking below the horizon.

Standing beside the mysterious young woman, Prince Endymion watched her face rather than the colorful display overhead. He was both surprised and intrigued by the look of awe she wore, and once again he found himself wondering where she lived that simple, everyday things like a sunset seemed miraculous to her.

Around the silent couple, the nightingales and tree frogs provided a lullaby for the setting star. Day blooming flowers began to close their petals as the night bloomers began to open up and release their sweet fragrance to the air. And slowly, very slowly, the sky began to darken towards dusk. The flash of green that appeared just after the sun sank fully below the horizon made Princess Serenity suddenly smile and laugh in amused delight.

"What?" the prince asked her curiously.

She glanced towards him, still smiling. "Blue, orange, red, green... They are all here, watching over me still," she replied as she looked back to the sky. "And there... Indigo and deep aqua... They are here as well."

"Who?" he asked over the chorus of crickets that had decided to join in the fun.

"Hmm? Oh," she replied as she stiffened. Her blue eyes grew wider as she tried to think of how to avoid answering that question directly.

"Your relatives? Friends?" he pressed, suddenly certain that this was his chance to learn something about her other than her name.

"Friends. Yes. My friends," she said hastily as she drew a little away from him. Instinctively, he reached out to hold her in place, and she stared at him uncertainly. "They... They like to wear those colors, so when I see them I think of them," she replied over the sudden pounding of her heart.

"I see," he said as he reluctantly released her arm. His fingers lingered for a moment longer, brushing gently against her bare skin before they fell away completely. "Your friends usually wear orange and red and such?" His searched his mind trying to remember any noble house badges or uniforms that contained a rainbow of colors. "Do they each have a particular color?" he asked, trying to sound interested but nonchalant. "Or do they wear all of them?"

"Oh, they each have their own color," she responded as she relaxed slightly. She had feared that he would push for their names and descriptions, but if they continued to focus just on colors she felt that she would be able to keep her secret. And so she lingered, reluctant to leave even though she knew that she should.

"Interesting. My friends all tend to wear the same color," he said as he turned to look towards the fading sunset. His eyes never left her face, however. She had a disturbing habit of vanishing when he was not looking, and he was not yet ready for this visit to end.

"Really?" she asked, sounding curious. "They do not like to individualize themselves?"

He snorted softly. "Oh, they do not need colors to do that. They are quite individual."

She laughed lightly. "I can well imagine that," she said as an image of her four guardians drifted through her mind.

"Have you met them?" he asked in surprise as he shifted to stand a little closer to her. He turned to face her once more.

She made a negative sound as she shook her white head from side to side. "It is just... My friends are very individual as well, so I can understand."

Prince Endymion was silent for a long moment caught by the loveliness of her face in the moonlit twilight. "Even though they need to wear different colors to emphasize their differences?" he asked finally. He had no idea what he had just said. The question was just something to say to keep the conversation rolling.

Something in his gaze made it suddenly hard for Princess Serenity to breathe. "No," she said more softly. "The colors are more like part of their individualism..."

"Part of their mystique," he murmured as he moved closer. "Like you, all dressed in white." Slowly, he raised a hand towards her cheek. "White is a reflection of all colors, you know."

"Really?" she asked faintly as his fingers finally brushed against her skin. Her heart was pounding again, but she could not move away.

He murmured an affirmative sound as his head tilted towards hers. He continued to stare deeply into her eyes until he could not see them any more. And then, as their eyes drifted shut, he finally pressed his lips to hers for their first kiss.


	33. Sleeping Beauty PGSM

Title: The Sleeping Beauty  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP / Roses for love by ~Ketmara  
Genre: General / Fantasy  
Version: PGSM – SilMil (spoiler level Pallas, i.e., NONE)  
Rating: G  
Couple: Usagi x Mamoru  
Word Count: ~881

Disclaimer: My one true pairing (Usagi and Mamoru) sprang complete from the mind of Takeuchi Naoko, and they still belong to her except for the piece she shared with Bandai. These little chocolate simulacrums, however are mine! *hugs the chocolate protectively to her chest*

The Sleeping Beauty

A loud snapping sound made Princess Serenity gasp and spin to her left. She raised a hand to her pounding heart as she searched the clearing for the monster that had made the noise. This wood was haunted by demons. She had come to this forbidden planet to seek and banish them, but she did not want to have one sneak up on her.

She relaxed with a sigh of relief when she saw that the 'monster' was just a gentle looking animal with four long spindly legs. It's wide, staring eyes told her that its heart was probably beating just as quickly as hers.

She gave it a small, shaky smile as it turned and bounded away into the trees, flicking its white tail at her. Then, she looked around the clearing once more. It had been a long morning of nervousness and unaccustomed exercise after a restless night of dozing, and she was tired.

Seeing and sensing no immediate threats, she walked carefully to the tree line on the far side of the clearing, and then smiled in relief. The ground here was slightly raised and covered with soft, dry grass. With the trees to provide shade and fallen leaves to act as an alarm in case of monsters, it was the perfect place for a nap.

She adjusted her skirts carefully as she sat, and then lifted her long, dark hair out of her way as she lay back. Gently, she fanned it out above her to keep the tangles out of it. And then, she closed her eyes with a sigh. In moments, she was sound asleep.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Prince Endymion sneaked quietly through the woods, his ears trained on the high pitched, giggling voices. Everyone told him that he was imagining things, that they could not hear the voices even when the high pitched sounds were loud enough to startle the birds, but he knew that they were created by real creatures. He was determined to catch one so he could prove it to his friends.

*Edyon ven sa sabr?* one of the voices asked as he pressed himself against a tree. _Do you think the Prince will come?_ his mind translated automatically a fraction of a second later.

*Ven, ven! Ladonde ne? Ven mor ne!* _He'll come, he'll come! She's here, right? He has to come!_ The prince pressed his hands lightly against the rough bark and peeked cautiously around the trunk. His eyes widened at the impossible sight in front of him, and he instinctively held his breath.

It was like a scene from a child's fantasy story. Two Rose Faeries hovered over a sleeping young woman dressed all in white. They were dropping large red flower petals into her long dark hair, arguing good naturedly over their placement and arranging them so that they resembled a meandering path. For a moment, he wondered if it was a magical path to the Faerie Realms.

She had to be a faerie princess or a sorceress. No normal woman wondered around the woods dressed the way the sleeping young woman was. The long, white skirts would be stained quickly by the dirt, mud, and moss. They were very airy looking, too, moving with the slightest breeze which meant that they would snag on every twig and branch and be shredded quickly. As far as he could tell from his hiding spot, though, they were unsullied and unharmed. And finally, no one would sleep so peacefully in the middle of such a dangerous area unless they were magical or protected by very strong magic.

He studied the sleeping woman for a long moment, wishing that he could see her face, and then turned his attention to the Rose Fairies. They had finished the placement of the petals, it seemed, and were dancing on their newly formed path as if playing a game of skip. Most people believed that Faeries were imaginary creatures. The few that did believe in them thought that they were extinct because no reliable sightings had been reported in over a thousand years. All agreed that the Winged Small Folk did not exist any more. And yet, here were two, hardly bigger than his hand, giggling over their game and nonsense song and floating in the air on gossamer, butterfly shaped wings. The patterning on the fluttering surfaces gave the illusion of a rose floating behind each of the fairies, one red and one white. These illusions twisted and twined together as the faeries danced around each other.

The need for air finally caught up with the enchanted prince. He tried to exhale and gasp another lungful quietly, but the Rose Fairies froze instantly and looked in his direction. He had just enough time to see their large, dark pink eyes and the grins that split their faces before they jumped into the air and vanished into the canopy of a nearby tree. Their chiming laughter trailed behind them, and one last petal fell to lay beside the sleeping woman.

Endymion berated himself for disturbing them, and then soothed himself with the thought that the mysterious woman was still there. Moving slowly and carefully so as not to wake her, he crept out his hiding place and into the clearing to steal a look at her face.


	34. SBeauty: An Inauspicious Beginning PGSM

Title: An Inauspicious Beginning  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP / Curse  
Genre: General / Fantasy  
Version: PGSM – SilMil (spoiler level Juno, i.e., probably already spoiled, but no direct references)  
Rating: G  
Couple: Usagi x Mamoru  
Word Count: ~724

Disclaimer: My one true pairing (Usagi and Mamoru) sprang complete from the mind of Takeuchi Naoko, and they still belong to her except for the piece she shared with Bandai. These little chocolate simulacrums, however are mine! *hugs the chocolate protectively to her chest*

An Inauspicious Beginning

The Sleeping Beauty_ comes sequentially before this, but is not necessary for the enjoyment of this story._

Prince Endymion looked down into the sleeping woman's face with wondering eyes. She was just as he had imagined her to be: young, beautiful, and magical. On her forehead, she wore a crescent moon medallion. If not for its metallic sheen, he would have thought it to be a strange birthmark of some sort. Rather than detracting from her beauty, however, it enhanced it and made her seem even more mystical and exotic.

Curious to see if she truly was alive or just a figment of his imagination, the prince reached out to brush his fingertips over her high cheekbones.

Princess Serenity jerked awake as she felt something light and warm brush her cheek. Her dark eyes flew open, and she stared up at the shadowed figure above her. For a moment, she was six years old again, waking up in her favorite meadow to see the monster from her nightmares standing over her. The name of the cousin who had been with her that day choked in her throat as she cringed back and raised her hands to her chest.

When the figure drew back, she realized that it was not a monster but a handsome young man. Immediately, her fear receded and she could think clearly again. She closed her eyes and pressed her hands to her heart, trying to calm the power that had risen in response to her emotions. '_No,_' she thought to it as she instinctively began the patterned breathing exercises that helped her to maintain control. '_No more monsters._' Slowly, the white hot power that was her curse settled down once more.

When she opened her eyes, she saw that the young man was still watching her curiously. She sat up quickly, and then swayed as the sudden change in elevation made the blood drain from her head. Quickly, Prince Endymion moved to steady her. "Are you all right?" he asked uncertainly as the rose petals fell from her dark tresses.

"I... am fine," she managed to reply as he helped her to her feet. They stood that way for a long moment, studying each other, and then she dipped her head smoothly. "Thank you."

His lips twitched in amusement at her prim yet regal attitude. "You're welcome. You do realize that this wood is haunted by demons and faeries, don't you? It is not a place to be caught off guard."

A shadow crossed over her tightly controlled features. "And which are you?" she asked, trying to distract herself from her unpleasant thoughts and him from questions she did not wish to answer.

He tilted his head slightly to one side. "Which am I?" he asked as if thinking about it. "Which are you?"

She turned away and looked across the peaceful clearing. '_A monster,_' she thought sadly, and then pushed the words away. She would not be a monster. She would control her emotions, and peace would return once more to her home and the beautiful world that it watched over.

"You have no wings," he teased, trying to make her look at him once more, "so you cannot be a faerie. You had flowers in your hair, not leaves, so you are not a dryad. No pointed elven ears or slanted pixie eyes... Ah, but you do glow. A will-o-wisp then?. Have you cast your spell on me and cursed me to follow you through these woods forever?" His smile showed that he had no fear of his supposed fate.

The princess flinched, unable to help herself as he compared her to one of the worst demons she had ever heard of, and then turned and raced into the trees. Prince Endymion stared after her dumbfounded for a moment, and then chased after her. "Hey!" he called. "It's too dangerous here. Come back!"

High overhead, two Rose Faeries sighed as the glittering remains of their love spell fell to the ground. Maybe next time the next couple would be easier to bewitch.

Try as he might, Prince Endymion could not catch up to to the fleeing woman. Their path twisted and turned through the thick trees and dense hedges. Then, she vanished from his sight. Minutes later, winded and panting, he leaned on one hand against a giant oak and stared out of the wood towards his castle. The beautiful woman was gone.


	35. Resurrection PGSM

Title: Resurrection  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP / Brilliant  
Genre: Drama / Romance  
Version: PGSM – SilMil (spoiler level Ceres/Vesta, i.e., direct references to scenes and plotlines)  
Rating: PG  
Couple: Usagi x Mamoru  
Word Count: ~944

Disclaimer: My one true pairing (Usagi and Mamoru) sprang complete from the mind of Takeuchi Naoko, and they still belong to her except for the piece she shared with Bandai. These little chocolate simulacrums, however are mine! *hugs the chocolate protectively to her chest*

Resurrection

Someone was screaming loudly and painfully. It echoed around him and through him, telling of agonizing loss. Endymion wondered briefly if it was himself, but then dismissed the idea. Not only was the pain gone, the voice sounded much higher than his could ever get.

'_Endymion._'

The whisper distracted him from the unending scream. "Serenity," he tried to whisper. He heard nothing, though. He had to reassure her. Her control over Metallia was gone, snapped by Beryl's spell, and if she lost control of herself... "Serenity," he tried again a little louder. Again, he heard nothing but the scream. If she lost control of herself, it would be the end of their only hope.

Suddenly, he was surrounded by a brilliant light. '_Come back to me, love,_' Serenity whispered. Even though he could not hear himself, he could hear her clearly. '_Don't leave me alone. Please, Endymion? Open your eyes. Please?_'

He struggled to do as she asked as the light grew brighter. Once again, he tried to call to her, to reassure her. Once again, he failed. He did manage to open his eyes, however, and he stared up at his beloved in disbelief.

Her skin glowed with the brightness of a full moon while on her face her crescent moon sigil burned golden. Golden rings of power pulsed out of her, spreading into the surrounding world of darkness. Shining tears streaked their way from her closed eyes, falling onto a brilliantly shining stone that hovered in front of her. Fear crept into his heart as he realized that she was the source of the light.

He felt something warm touch his hands and feet. It spread, surrounding his body, flooding through him, and filling him with warmth. At his side and across his middle where the sword had nearly cleaved him in two it felt as if someone were pressing a hot bar. He cried out breathlessly from the unnerving sensation.

'_Endymion..._' she whispered again. And then, she collapsed on top of him.

Prince Endymion lay still for a few minutes in the sudden darkness and silence and tried to understand what had just happened. Slowly, he ran his right hand over his left side. Nothing. The wound was gone. Not even a tear in the cloth remained from the blow that had surely ended his life.

She had healed him. She had summoned up the forbidden power of her Ginzuishou and healed him. But at what cost? That thought made his breath catch in his throat, and he reached quickly for her neck. Her pulse, weak and rapid, reassured him somewhat.

Moving carefully, he slid backwards until she was resting on his stomach instead of his chest, and then sat up. He brushed his fingers gently through her long, dark strands, pulling them away from her nose, and then turned to look around.

His eyes widened. Nothing was left. Where a beautiful palace had once stood surrounded by tall trees and lush green grass, there was only white sand. He looked behind him and saw more of the same. The Moon Kingdom was gone. He squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to see the price of his resurrection.

Something teased the back of his mind. He was missing something, something important. If Serenity had used the full power of the Ginzuishou then...

He stiffened, and opened his eyes. Prince Endymion's gaze sought his home world in the dark sky overhead, and his worst fears were confirmed. Earth was now a lifeless, golden orb. Whether she had used the power of the Ginzuishou or had pulled on the excess power that she had stored in Metallia, she had destroyed his world as well as her own.

Slowly, he looked down at the unconscious princess once more. He should hate her. She had just broken her promise, just destroyed everything that they both held dear. At the very least, he should be angry with her.

He _was_ angry with her. But as he saw the softly glowing jewel that had fallen beside him, he knew that he had to set that anger aside. If that cursed gem had destroyed their worlds, then there had to be some way for it to restore them.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Prince Endymion held his princess's hand as he slipped a small ring onto her finger. He stared down into her happy yet solemn eyes and then reached up to cup her cheek. He wanted to reassure her, to tell his new bride that everything would be all right, but he did not know for sure and he knew that she knew that. Instead, he pulled her close and kissed her.

Slowly, he drew away from her. Princess Serenity took a deep breath, and then nodded. She gathered her skirts so that she could sit on the sand, and then looked up in surprise as he pulled her close once more.

He hugged her tightly, trying to convey his love and support. "Forever," he whispered. She relaxed into him for a brief moment, nodded, and then gently pulled away again.

He helped her to lay back on the sand, and then he lay beside her. He gripped her hand and squeezed. Taking a deep breath, she squeezed back.

They looked up into the star studded sky above them and found the body of his ruined planet. Then, they took one final breath in unison, and she released their combined power through the Ginzuishou.

When the light faded, the two lovers lay silent on the marbled floor of the Great Prayer Room of the Moon Castle once more. Over their heads, Earth shone in all of its marbled white and blue splendor.


	36. Secret Rendezvous

Title: Secret Rendezvous  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP / Clandestine  
Genre: Romance / Humor  
Version: Manga  
Rating: G  
Word Count: ~1,178

Disclaimer: My one true pairing (Usagi and Mamoru) sprang complete from the mind of Takeuchi Naoko, and they still belong to her. These little chocolate simulacrums, however are mine! *hugs the chocolate protectively to her chest*

Secret Rendezvous

Serenity peeped around the door cautiously. Her azure eyes darted right, then left scanning the patio and stairway in front of her, and then she slipped out of the palace and walked towards one of the columns that marked the beginning of the steps. She tried to move at her normal pace, but it was hard. Her nerves were urging her to run as quickly as she could down into the garden, but she knew that if she did that she would attract attention. And attention was not something that she wanted at the moment.

She pressed herself casually to the cool white marble and let her gaze scan the naturalistic garden in front of her. No one would think to look for her here. Her dislike of plants that snagged her hair and clothes and paths that disappeared while you were walking them was quite well known. That's what made this garden so perfect for her plans.

Seeing that the grounds and gardens were empty, she glanced around the patio behind her once more and took a deep breath. Still trying to walk normally, she let go of the column, fixed a thoughtful expression on her face, and walked down the wide steps. Those nine steps and the short strip of grass at their base always seemed to stretch on into forever, but soon she was hidden from view by the tall clumps of decorative grass.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she paused just inside the garden, and then smiled. No voices calling her name curiously. No footsteps rushing after her. She was free. She paused just a moment more as the wind stirred her long, white hair, and then disappeared with a shimmer.

From a window high above the ground, he watched her curiously. Her deliberate moves. Her surreptitious watchfulness. The shimmer in the garden as she used her power to transport herself elsewhere.

He frowned at that. He knew that Serenity was powerful enough to protect herself. He also knew that she either would not do so, or would wait until it was too late. Closing his eyes, he tried to use his psychic senses to determine where she had gone.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Serenity closed her eyes and inhaled the exciting, enticing scent. If she was caught, she knew she would be in trouble. Her Guardian Senshi did not like it when she slipped away from them. After the rebellion last year, they were both paranoid and protective, and they would likely panic if she did not get back before they missed her.

But guilt was a far, distant thing as she snuggled into the enchanting warmth. It had been so long, so terribly long since the last time she could slip away. She could not wait another moment.

Tilting her head back, her eyes still shut, she parted her lips and waited expectantly. She was quickly rewarded as warmth pressed tightly to her lips and that addictive taste filled her mouth. She swirled her tongue around, teasing out as much of that flavor as she could and enjoying the wonderful silky texture that made her shiver. She moaned softly in ecstasy as she pressed herself closer, wanting more.

Smothered snickering made her straighten up quickly. Serenity's face blushed bright red as she looked around the small café. She hastily lowered her cup back to the table, unaware that the whipped cream had left a fluffy mustache over her upper lip.

And that was when she saw him. She gasped in shock as she met his smoldering blue gaze, and her heart jumped within her. He was so handsome, leaning there against the bar, a hot drink held casually in one hand. He lifted the white cup to his lips and took a long, deliberate sip, his eyes never leaving hers. She swallowed as the room seemed to vanish and close in around her both at once. Then, his eyes suddenly laughing at her, he turned away.

The disguised ruler of Crystal Tokyo frowned at his back. That was not right. That was not what he was supposed to do. She looked around the table in front of her, and then pulled a paper napkin out of its slot. She wadded it up into a ball, crumpling it as hard as she could, and then lobbed it at his back with a triumphant smirk.

It fell from her face as the napkin fell short of its goal. Frowning again, she pulled out another one, balled it up, and tossed it. It took almost thirty attempts before she finally got one to land in his dark hair. "Yes!" she cried as the patrons around her laughed and shook their heads.

Slowly, the slim, tall man turned to face her. His eyes were still laughing as he reached up to pull the paper from his hair, but his face was locked in a teasing scowl. "That hurt, Odango," he said as he clenched his fist around the napkin. He drew his arm back to toss it back at her, and then paused as her failed bombs caught his eye. He sagged then, trying not to laugh and spoil the game. "You shouldn't just go tossing your trash wherever you feel like it. There are trashcans all around. Use them."

"Hmph," she replied, turning her head to the side and tossing her nose into the air. "I thought it was filled to overflowing." In spite of her affronted expression, she could not keep the laughter out of her voice.

"You must need glasses," her husband quipped as he slipped off his stool and began to clean up her mess. "Maybe that's why you've never been able to hit a target."

"I don't know _how_ I could have missed such a big one," she shot back as she whirled around to face him. She blinked as he placed the crumpled napkins on the table, and watched as he snagged his coffee and then sat down.

"Got me, Odango," he replied. "I never know how you do what you do." Unable to resist, he leaned across the table and wiped at the dried whipped cream on her face. His eyes darkened as the thought of licking it off for her stole through his mind.

Serenity felt her breath catch again at the look, and then shook her head. "What are you doing here?" she asked softly as she picked up her cup.

Endymion smiled. "I just thought I'd come and see what trouble you were getting into now." He chuckled as she gave him an affronted look. "I should have known you were sneaking off to spend time with your one true love."

She blinked at him in surprise, and then smiled as she leaned closer to him. "It was a hope…"

He reached out and snagged one of her hands. "The boats after this?"

"Mmm… And maybe dinner on the beach?"

"Your wish is my command," he replied softly as he pressed a gentle kiss to her knuckles. The next morning, after listening to the irritated reprimands from their friends, they made a quiet promise to do it again sometime.


	37. Starting Again PGSM

Title: Starting Again  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP / Ashes by Embrace  
Genre: General / Angsty  
Version: PGSM – (spoiler level Vesta, i.e., direct references to scenes and plotlines MAJOR SPOILER ALERT)  
Rating: PG  
Couple: Usagi x Mamoru  
Word Count: ~389

Disclaimer: My one true pairing (Usagi and Mamoru) sprang complete from the mind of Takeuchi Naoko, and they still belong to her except for the piece she shared with Bandai. These little chocolate simulacrums, however are mine! *hugs the chocolate protectively to her chest*

Starting Again

_I've waited, and given the chance again,  
I'd do it all the same, but either way  
I'm always outplayed, up on your down days  
I left it the right way, to start again _... "Ashes" by Embrace

Usagi stared out over the edge of the bridge and watched the plane climb higher into the evening sky. It was over. Done. Finished before it even started. And as she watched him leave her behind, she searched her soul to see if she could truly do this.

Deep inside, there was a throbbing feeling, as if a painful bruise had been hit hard. But other than that, she felt fine. She had had her period of mourning, of loss, already when she had discovered that he was engaged. She knew how to deal with this pain.

She took a deep breath and gave the world a brave smile. She had done the right thing, letting him go. Now, it was time to start again.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

He stared out the small window, his eyes intently scanning the cityscape far below. He was not trying to memorize the scene to stave off homesickness later. He was not enamored with the bright patterns of lights so far below. He searched instead for the girls who were watching him chase his dreams.

Hina would be probably be in a taxi still, maybe on that major roadway down there. She had been so beautiful, so strong when she had told him goodbye. He truly hoped that she found someone who would love her the way that she deserved soon, but he could not help but be grateful that he was free of the lie.

And Usagi... Usagi. The young teenager who had mysteriously stolen his heart. The heroine he looked up to. The princess who haunted his dreams. He knew she was down there, watching him. '_One day,_' he promised her silently. '_One day, when I know who I am, when I know _what_ I am, I will be back. And then..._'

And then what? He did not know. Their love was supposedly cursed, and yet he could not, would not believe that. Until he remembered what had happened in that other life, though, he would not know what to do.

For now, he would start a new life, in a new country, far from the two women who meant so much to him. He sighed as he sat back in his seat, the view so distant now that he could not make out any individual details. It was time to start again.


	38. Torn Apart Sera Myu

Title: Torn Apart  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP / Ashes by Embrace  
Genre: Angst  
Version: Sera Myu (post SuperS: Yume Senshi * Ai * Eien ni... (SuperS: Dream Soldiers * Love * To Eternity...)  
Rating: PG  
Word Count: ~289

Disclaimer: All characters used below belong to Takeuchi Naoko and Bandai Entertainment as does the universe in which this story takes place. All rights belong to them. Mamoru's words are as translated by Ken Yuen. The yummy chocolate simulacrums, however, belong to me. *hoards protectively to chest*

A/N: Background Information from the Myu – In the first Sailor Moon SuperS Musical, _Yume Senshi * Ai * Eien ni_, Mamoru recognizes that Nehelenia is Serenity in the future. When she uses Hotaru to channel her pain and sadness to the senshi in the past, he bravely steps in front of Sailor Moon and absorbs it. He also saves Hotaru, drawing all of Nehelenia's power and sorrow out of the young girl's body. And then, mortally wounded, he makes his way back to Sailor Moon and dies in her arms. The Ginzuishou does not bring him back to life. Instead, he fulfills his wish to become a "Hot Wind" (atsui kaze) blowing across the face of the earth. He speaks to Moon and her friends, saying that he is going forward to the future to be with Serenity so that she will not be lonely any more. Thus, the Myu ends with Usagi alone with her friends, sad, but hopeful that she will be reunited with her love one day. The story I have written below takes place after the events in the Myu.

Torn Apart

Usagi leaned her arms on the windowsill and raised her face up to the moon letting its silver light glint off of the tears that trickled down her face. It had been almost a year since that fateful day. A year of pain and longing and sorrow. And yet, every detail of that fight was burned into her memory as if it had happened just the day before.

'_Usa..._' he had gasped as his fingers gently caressed her upper arm. Those beautiful blue eyes stared deeply into hers for a long moment, and then he looked towards the senshi gathered around them. '_Everyone... Next time, I want to be... just a normal Mamoru loving Usagi,... and have a normal happiness together... That is... my... dream._' In her mind, she held him in her arms again as he gasped out those painful words. His beautiful blue eyes had looked up into hers as he smiled.

And then, those beloved eyes had closed forever. No, not forever. She held firmly to that thought. They were eternal. He had promised that, just as he had promised to always be there for her even when she could not see him. She just had to be strong, had to remember that he was waiting for her in the future so that they could start again. She had to remember that shadowed figure of King Endymion as he stood by her future self in that crystal forest deep in Elysian.

It would come. It had to come. He had promised.

"We are forever," she whispered as a fiery wind caressed her cheeks and dried her tears. And closing her eyes, she let its gentle murmur, so like his voice, soothe the pain in her soul.


	39. Protecting the Healer

Title: Protecting the Healer  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP / Sick  
Genre: Drama/Romance  
Version: Manga (Crystal Tokyo – Time of Death Phantom's first rebellion)  
Rating: G  
Word Count: ~800

Disclaimer: My one true pairing (Usagi and Mamoru) sprang complete from the mind of Takeuchi Naoko, and they still belong to her. These little chocolate simulacrums, however are mine! *hugs the chocolate protectively to her chest*

Protecting the Healer

Neo-Queen Serenity opened the etched glass balcony door and slipped quickly out into the afternoon sunshine. Her azure eyes darted around the sun drenched marble looking for anyone who would stop her. They had blocked her usual escape route through the garden, but she hoped that they had not found all of her other hiding places.

Seeing the coast was clear, she breathed a quiet sigh of relief and reached up to cup the softly glowing gem at her breast. '_Hold on, Mercury,_' she thought to her distant friend. '_I will be there soon. But first... A disguise._'

The queen dropped her hand to her side and pulled a small pen out of her pocket. She spared the magical item a small, reminiscent smile as she lifted tilted her head and touched it to her cheek. She might no longer be able to call on the power of Sailor Moon, but she was certain that she could still use the disguise pen. She was also certain that none of her friends knew that she had it or could potentially still use it.

She straightened up and looked around the balcony once more. And then, she lifted the pen into the air. "Moon Power... Transform! Disguise me as a..." Her voice broke off with a squawk of surprise as something snatched the pen out of her hand. She spun around defensively, her long white hair and ribbons swirling around her, and stared at her tall husband in shock.

He glared at her lovingly for a moment, and then quietly tucked the pen into an inner pocket of his tuxedo jacket. "Give that back," she cried as she lunged after it. He shook his head, drew her into his arms, and hugged her. "Give it back!" she ordered again. "I have to go to her. She needs my help!"

"She will be fine, Serenity," he said soothingly as he tried to rock her. She resisted his loving attempt at reassurance.

"She needs me," the queen said again as she tried to pull her pen back out of his pocket. He held her too close, though, and she was not able to reach under the fabric. "She's sick. That horrible plague that has been running throughout the city..." Her struggles ceased as she sagged into him and buried her face into his white shirt. "It kills everyone who catches it. I have to help her. I have to help them all..."

He continued to rock her as he ran his hands up and down her arms soothingly. "It doesn't kill everyone," he reminded her softly as he laid his cheek gently on the crown of her head. While it was true that the survivors were few compared to those who had caught the plague, there were some. It was a small hope, but he hoped that she would take it. "Mercury is strong. She'll pull through it. And Jupiter will protect her from anyone who tries to attack her while she's weak. You have to believe, Serenity."

"Ami-chan,..." she whispered as her tears soaked his shirt. "Senshi don't get sick. The elemental power running through them burns out all the viruses and germs, or so she told me. How did this happen? Please, Mamo-chan... I have to help her. I have to!"

He shook his head slowly, but firmly. "We can't loose you," he whispered as he tightened his hug. "You're not a senshi anymore. Who knows how susceptible you are to this illness?" She stiffened and tried to push away from him, but he kept her firmly in place. "When she finds the cure, it will probably involve the use of the Ginzuishou. We can't have you getting sick, too, Usako. If you die, who will save us? Small Lady?"

At the mention of their small daughter, the queen stopped struggling. She knew as well as he that her heir was not yet ready to channel her little bit of life force through the sparkling silver gem. If Small Lady tried and succeeded, it would surely kill her.

"And who would raise her to be a strong and lovely queen? She needs you. If you get sick and die...," his arms tightened at that unacceptable statement. "If you get sick and die, who will teach her how to make her heart beautiful? Who will teach her to use the Ginzuishou without killing herself?"

"But, Ami-chan..." she whispered, still distraught.

"She will find the cure," he reassured softly. "She will get well and she will find the cure, and then you can make everyone well again." '_And we will find out who manufactured this plague,_' he swore violently to himself as he continued to reassure the small woman in his arms. '_We will find him, and he will pay..._'


	40. Anniversary Surprise: Surpise

Title: Anniversary Surprise – Part I: Surprise  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP / Kiss  
Genre: Romance  
Version: Manga (post StarS / pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: G  
Couple: Usagi x Mamoru  
Word Count: ~779

Disclaimer: My one true pairing (Usagi and Mamoru) sprang complete from the mind of Takeuchi Naoko, and they still belong completely to her. These little chocolate simulacrums, however are mine! *hugs the chocolate protectively to her chest*

Anniversary Surprise – Part I: Surprise

Mamoru smiled as he climbed the staircase to the apartment he shared with his wife of five years. His long legs stretched to easily take the risers two at a time as his right hand glided up the handrail. In his left, he swung a large wicker picnic basket.

He was still surprised that everything was going so smoothly. The spring day was bright and pleasantly warm. The trains and buses had been running on time. And most amazingly of all, Dr. Abe had come in on his day off to cover the rest of Mamoru's shift in the trauma ward. All that was left was to surprise his wife and get to his chosen hanami spot before someone else stole it.

His smile grew wider at the thought, and he quickly drew his keys out of his pocket to unlock the door. "I'm home," he called softly as he entered and toed off his shoes. The dim lights in the living area made him pause for a second, and suddenly he wondered if she was taking a nap. That would delay them a bit, especially if the morning sickness had taken a turn for the worse again. "Usa? Luna?"

He walked through the living area, putting the basket carefully on the floor behind the couch as he passed by, and headed for the bedroom. A light under the office door caught his attention, though, and he tapped softly on it as he pushed it open.

Usagi spun around in her computer chair with a surprised expression on her face. "Mamoru?" she gasped as the surprise became a delighted smile. "Mamo-chan!" Moving as quickly as she could, she pushed her ungainly form up out of the chair and rushed to give him a hug. "What are you doing home? Is everything all right?" she added a little anxiously.

He smiled reassuringly as he hugged her gently and dropped a kiss on the crown of her head. "Everything is fine. Are you working?"

"Mmmm...," she replied as she relaxed against him. "I'm trying to get a little ahead." Her smile gentled as she laid a protective hand across her growing stomach. "I won't have much time for my Masked Prince once she gets here."

"Then maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all," he said thoughtfully.

Usagi pulled back and looked up at him curiously. "What wasn't? Mamoru, why are you home?"

"I thought I'd take my beautiful wife out to lunch for our anniversary," he said teasingly as he began to massage her lower back.

Her eyes drifted shut for a moment as he soothed away the pain, and then snapped open once more. "I thought we were going to go out to dinner," she said in confusion. "That's why you switched shifts with Dr. Deveroux this week, wasn't it?"

He nodded, his ocean blue eyes dancing with suppressed laughter. "Yes, that's why I switched with Dr. Deveroux. But, I switched with Dr. Abe so that we could have lunch together, too. If you're busy though..."

She laughed and lunged for him once more as he teasingly pulled away. "All day? I get all day with you? Oh, Mamoru! That's the best present!"

He held her close once more, then bent his head down. Usagi tilted her head up and pressed her soft, pale lips to his. The kiss, which started off lighthearted, soon became quite passionate. Just as Mamoru shifted her to pull her closer, however, Usagi jerked back with a gasp. "Usa?" he asked, immediately concerned.

"Little brat," she grumbled as she pressed her hand into the side of her stomach. "Those are _my_ ribs..."

Mamoru relaxed with a smile and reached out a soothing hand. His expression became more wondering as he felt a small foot kick at him. Usagi gasped again, and then shook her head. "She's getting jealous. You haven't said hi to her yet," she teased. "Hurry before she turns me black and blue."

Mamoru chuckled as he bent down. He lifted her light pink maternity blouse out of the way, and pressed a gentle kiss to the footprint that showed clearly against his wife's waist. "Good afternoon, princess," he said, sending soothing thoughts to his unborn daughter.

Usagi looked down at them with a loving smile. "There. See now? Papa has said hi. Go back to sleep," she scolded teasingly as she gently rubbed her hand on the other side of her abdomen.

They stood and played with their daughter for a few more moments. Then, they snagged their shoes, a heavy blanket, and the picnic basket and headed for the nearby park and the beginning of their anniversary celebration.


	41. Anniversary Surprise: Ruined Outing

Title: Anniversary Surprise – Part II: Ruined Outing  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP / Ominous  
Genre: Romantic Fluff  
Version: Manga (post StarS / pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: G  
Couple: Usagi x Mamoru  
Word Count: ~698

Disclaimer: My one true pairing (Usagi and Mamoru) sprang complete from the mind of Takeuchi Naoko, and they still belong completely to her. These little chocolate simulacrums, however are mine! *hugs the chocolate protectively to her chest*

Anniversary Surprise – Part II: Ruined Outing

Mamoru stretched out on the blanket and rested his head in what remained of Usagi's lap. The fried shrimp bento that he had eaten for lunch and the relaxing atmosphere of the quiet park had made him sleepy. He tried to fight it, concentrating on the story that she was telling him and the way the sunlight glinted from her pale hair as the light breeze made it dance on his chest. Soon, however, his heavy eyelids closed and he drifted off.

Leaning against the nearest sakura tree for support, Usagi noticed the change in his breathing immediately. She smiled down at him fondly, and then chuckled to herself. Usually, she was the one who took naps in the afternoon. Lately, though, she had noticed that she had more energy than usual. Sometimes, it was hard to sit still long enough to work on the manga that she was creating. Ami had told her that this was typical for someone in their second trimester, but Usagi still found it amusing.

Fortunately, she had thought to bring her sketchbook and pencils with her. She leaned carefully towards the shoulder bag that was lying near the picnic basket, and managed to snag its strap with her fingertips. Panting slightly and pressing her free hand against her side to soothe the muscles that had protested the stretch, she looked down at her husband to verify that she had not accidentally woken him. He slept on peacefully.

Usagi opened her bag, and then paused to run her fingers gently through Mamoru's dark hair. He would be upset with himself later, she knew. He had gone through so much effort to spend time with her on this special anniversary. She knew from previous experience that she would never convince him that she derived just as much enjoyment from his peaceful breathing as she did from talking with him, that just touching him and being with him was enough.

Her smile widened as several sakura petals fell into the dark strands she was playing with. '_So cute,_' she thought to herself as she quickly pulled out her sketchbook and pencils. She set to work using strong dark strokes to capture his beloved nose, jaw, and cheekbones and lighter ones to get the shading just so. When a sakura petal landed on the tip of his nose and balanced just a second before an exhale blew it away, she modified her sketch to show it.

Once she had everything committed to paper, she turned to look for another subject to draw. A dark line on the horizon caught her attention, and she frowned. '_Where did they come from?_' she thought to herself as she studied the ominous black clouds. She watched as they began to pile higher, and then reluctantly set her sketchbook aside.

"Mamoru," she said softly as she gently shook his shoulder. Instantly, he tensed and his eyes snapped open. "It's all right," she said soothingly. "But you'd better wake up now."

He blinked as he sat up, and then grimaced and ran a hand over his face. "I fell asleep?" he asked in a husky voice. "I'm sorry, Usa."

"Nnn," she replied, shaking her head as she quickly put away her art supplies. "It's all right. But those clouds over there..." She let her voice trail off as she pointed towards the horizon.

Mamoru blinked, and then started as a bright streak of lightening danced into view. "We'd better hurry," he said as he stood up. He promised himself that he would properly apologize to his wife later for ruining the outing. "That's moving in pretty fast."

Seeing that she had her shoulder bag securely fastened again, he reached down and helped her to her feet. He helped her into her shoes, and then handed her the picnic basket as he slipped on his own. She stood to the side and looked for shelter as he shook out the blanket and then bundled it up.

"There," she said, pointing to a small café a short distance away. He grabbed her hand, and they hurried for its promise of shelter. Just as he opened the door for her, the rain began to fall.


	42. AnnSurp: Herbal Heaven Tea Shop

Title: Anniversary Surprise – Part III: Herbal Heaven Tea Shop  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP (Optional: Tea)  
Genre: General / Romance Fluff  
Version: Manga (post StarS / pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: G  
Couple: Usagi x Mamoru  
Word Count: ~1,424

Disclaimer: My one true pairing (Usagi and Mamoru) sprang complete from the mind of Takeuchi Naoko, and they still belong completely to her. These little chocolate simulacrums, however are mine! *hugs the chocolate protectively to her chest*

_Canon, spelling, grammar, and punctuation corrections are appreciated. So is constructive criticism and general comments. Please let me know if you see something that you like or that should be corrected. Thanks! - Raya_

Anniversary Surprise – Part III: Herbal Heaven Tea Shop

Mamoru quickly held the door open for Usagi with one hand while he steadied her with the other. His pregnant wife laughed up at him as she hurried into the cafe. "Hurry, hurry!" she exclaimed as she moved out of his way. "We almost made it," she said as she shook the raindrops from her clothes with one hand.

"Welcome to our shop!" two voices chorused, one bright and cheerful and the other more subdued. Usagi looked towards the counter and smiled at the two women who were looking at her. Then, her azure eyes glanced around the store.

"A tea shop," she gasped in delight. "Look, Mamoru, it's an English tea shop!"

He smiled at her as he watched the older woman round the counter and bustle towards them. The grey haired woman looked a little odd in her Victorian dress, but the smile on her round face was bright and inviting.

"Welcome to Herbal Heaven," the older lady said as she stopped next to them. "A tea service for two?" she asked over a rumble of thunder.

"Actually...," Mamoru began, only to be cut off by Usagi.

"That sounds lovely! Do you have little tea cakes, too? Oh, you do!" Usagi stepped closer to the counter and greedily eyed the delicacies that were under the glass. Suddenly, her smile faded, and she looked uncomfortable. "Um, I'm sorry to ask this, but do you..." She shifted from foot to foot as her face flushed, and then tried again. "Can you please direct me towards..."

"The restroom," the older lady interrupted, her smile becoming sympathetic. "Of course, ma'am, it is right through here." Usagi handed Mamoru the picnic basket and gave him an embarrassed smile before she turned to followed the woman towards the back of the store. He nodded, his gaze loving and amused as he watched her leave.

"Would you like to sit here where you can watch the rain?" a soft voice asked. Mamoru looked towards the younger server as she politely showed him a table for two set in the window. The Victorian costume did not look quite as strange on her more youthful form he noted. "Or would you prefer to be further inside so that the lady does not catch a chill?"

"The window seat will be fine," he replied as he moved towards her. Moments later, he was comfortably seated at the table, the picnic basket set on the floor beside him and a piece of parchment paper listing the daily specials in front of him. He noted that the handwriting was easy to read in spite of the grandiose decorative flourishes. He perused the strange looking English names trying to guess what they were as he waited for his wife to return.

"Ah, here you are, ma'am," the older server said cheerfully as she escorted Usagi back across the room. "Your husband has secured the best seat in the house."

"Thank you," the blonde replied as she slipped into the empty chair.

"Certainly, certainly," the server replied, still smiling. "I know how it is. You are all fine, happily going about your business, and then suddenly the little one moves just so and you have to look for the nearest store." Mamoru noticed that the younger server's face was growing quite red with embarrassment. "I am very glad it was our little shop that caught your eye."

"Actually, we were getting out of the rain," Usagi confessed as she leaned towards the older lady. Another rumble of thunder rolled through the air, and a flash of light lit the sky outside.

"Then even better," was the bright reply. "You have grand luck! Not only are you dry, you were close to a restroom when you needed one." Usagi nodded in response as she looked out the window nervously.

"Now, perhaps a cup of hot tea to warm you up? A plate of watercress sandwiches to snack on? What can I get you?"

Usagi looked towards her husband uncertainly, and then beamed as he nodded just slightly to show that she could have whatever she wanted. "Well, we just finished lunch, but some tea would be nice. Only, do you have any without caffeine? The doctor told me to avoid that if I can."

"Of course!" the server replied with a motherly look. "All of our herbal teas are caffeine free." She shook her head suddenly. "But not all of them are safe for expecting mothers. Do not worry, though. Nadeshiko is very familiar with all of their properties. She will make you an excellent cup that you will not need to worry about." All five of them jumped as a particularly loud clap of thunder sounded.

"Per-Perhaps it would be better if you moved to this table over here," the server said as she noted the uneasy expression on Usagi's face. She gestured to a four person table further into the shop.

Usagi looked out the window, and then shook her head. She knew that she was safe inside the shop. There was no reason to be afraid. Before she could respond verbally, however, Mamoru agreed and stood up. Usagi looked at him in surprise as he bent down to retrieve the picnic basket and then held his hand out to her. Frowning a little, she slipped her hand into his and let him help her up.

"Now, that's better," the older woman said as they settled themselves at the new table. "Where were we? Oh, yes. Nadeshiko will make you a tea that is safe to drink Would you like a scone or a small cake to go with that? A cookie, perhaps?"

"Cake, please," Usagi replied as her smile returned in force.

"Strawberry cream?"

"Oh, yes. That sounds delicious."

"And for you, sir?"

"I will have the peppermint tea," he replied choosing the safest sounding item on the menu that he had been reading. "And one of the chocolate cookies that I saw in the case."

"Certainly! That will be one herbal blend tea, one peppermint tea, one strawberry cream cake, and one chocolate cookie," the server replied over another crash of thunder. "That will be ready in just a few minutes." As she turned to hurry to the counter, she stopped abruptly. "Nadeshiko! You startled me," she said to the younger server.

"I am sorry, Endo-san," Nadeshiko said softly as she backed up a step. Realizing that the young woman was holding a steaming cup of tea, Endo quickly moved out of her way. Nadeshiko slid the delicate cup onto the table in front of Usagi.

"Please try this blend," she requested in her soft voice as she bowed to the blonde. "It is made primarily from red raspberry leaves which is very good for pregnant women." She waited expectantly as Usagi lifted the cup and took a small sip of the hot liquid. A look of pleasure crossed the blonde's face and she quickly took another sip. Nadeshiko smiled slightly. "I also added some rosehips for Vitamin C and just a touch of lemon and honey for flavoring."

"This tastes wonderful," Usagi replied.

"Thank you," Nadeshiko answered with another bow. "It is also safe for you to drink mint teas if you like. You should avoid chamomile, hibiscus, nettle leaf, sassafras, and anise teas, however. I can make a list for you if you would like?"

"Oh, could you? That would help so much," Usagi beamed.

"Do you sell the tea mixtures as well?" Mamoru asked as Nadeshiko turned to walk away.

"I'm sorry, no," Endo answered as she slid two plates onto the table. "But there is a shop a few streets over that carries most of the ingredients. They even have a decent packaged peppermint tea," she added.

Mamoru nodded his thanks, and then turned his attention to the cookie in front of him. Usagi had already delved into her cake and was sighing blissfully. Moments later, Nadeshiko slid a cup of tea in front of him as well. He nodded his appreciation as she bowed and backed away.

"This was a great find, Mamo-chan," Usagi said softly as she leaned across the table towards him. "We should come back."

"Ami-san and Makoto-san would like it, too" he replied as he lifted his cup and leaned back.

Her face brightened as she nodded in excitement. "I shall have to bring them all here," she decided as she, too sat back. Her eyes drifted around the shop once more. "I shall definitely have to bring them here."


	43. Cliff: First Impressions

Title: First Impressions  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP (Optional: Trapped)  
Genre: Drama / Romance  
Version: Manga (Silver Millennium)  
Rating: PG  
Word Count: ~817

Disclaimer: My one true pairing (Usagi and Mamoru) sprang complete from the mind of Takeuchi Naoko, and they still belong to her. These little chocolate simulacrums, however are mine! *hugs the chocolate protectively to her chest*

First Impressions

Continued from Unnerving Meeting

Princess Serenity stood at the edge of a small cliff and stared in amazement at the rolling green forest in front of her. It stretched out for as far as she could see. Never had she seen so many trees together in one spot. Even the great orchard in the middle of Silver City was only a tiny fraction of its size. It seemed like a giant fantasy hologram, and yet she knew that it was real.

A gentle breeze blew across the forest and into her face, stirring her long white skirts and hair. She took a deep breath of the wind and held it for just a moment to savor the scents and the feel of life it contained. She knew she should not be on Earth, but she had been dying to know what it smelled like. Would it smell the way it looked from her room in Moon Castle, all blue and white? Or would there be sharp hints of the green she could sometimes see? As she took another lungful, she decided happily that it was both of those and more and very, very different from the air under the dome on Moon. Closing her eyes, she tried to determine whether or not any of the smells were familiar.

A high pitched mewling sound distracted her from her game. Curious, she re-opened her eyes and looked around. Her azure eyes grew wide when she finally spotted a large kitten trapped on the face of the cliff some distance beneath her. Although it was easily four times the size of Luna or Artemis, it still had the cute, fuzzy look to it that proclaimed it to be a baby rather than a full grown cat. "You poor thing," she said sympathetically as she shifted her skirts out of the way and crouched down. "How did you ever get caught there?" The kitten just mewed at her in response.

The princess turned her eyes to the rocky face and tried to pick out a path to the stranded creature. She gulped as she realized just how steep and tall it was. "Come on," she called encouragingly to the kitten certain that it could climb up more easily than she could climb down. "Come up here." It mewed back at her, but did not budge from its perch.

They traded calls for a minute or two before Princess Serenity sighed. "All right then. If you will not come up, I shall have to help you go down." She eyed the steep face of the cliff once more with an expression of fear and distaste. "Are you sure you will not try to come up? Even a little bit?" At its cry, she shook her head in resignation. "I thought not. All right, then. Here I come."

Moving carefully and wishing that Sailor Venus were here with her very useful chain sword, the princess slowly lowered herself over the edge of the cliff. Her dainty feet, clad in comfortable court shoes, tapped at the rocks until they found a foothold. Slowly, gingerly, she made her way towards the kitten.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Stupid little..." Standing at the edge of the forest, Prince Endymion stared up in surprise at the small woman climbing down the cliff face in front of him. It was obvious that she was having more than a little trouble with her long skirts. He expected her to get tangled up in them at any moment and lose her balance. As he ran for the foot of the cliff, he wondered why she did not bind them up out of her way. Even more, he wondered why she was trying to climb down the face of the cliff in them.

The second question was answered a moment later by a loud, high pitched mewling. The prince's heart leapt with excitement as he scanned the surrounding area quickly. That had sounded very much like what he thought a _gatro_ kitten would sound like. His searching gaze soon found the large kitten about one quarter of the way up the cliff face. Not sparing any breath for a sigh of relief, he tried to increase his speed. He could not let the woman get to the large kitten first.

A sudden scream made both of the humans pause and look out into the sky. A large grey and brown shape plummeted towards the _gatro_ kitten and then zoomed up into the sky. The kitten screamed in pain as its attacker slowed its climb and began to circle around again.

"Leave it alone!" Princess Serenity cried, suddenly angry. When the hawk began to dive for the kitten once more, she dug the small fingers of her left hand into the cliff, and lifted a rock with her right. She threw it at the bird, and even though her missile fell short the hawk veered away with an angry screech.

To Be Continued in Battle of the Cliff


	44. Cliff: Battle of the Cliff

Title: Battle of the Cliff  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP / Bravery  
Genre: Drama / Romance  
Version: Manga (Silver Millennium)  
Rating: PG  
Word Count: ~1,038

Disclaimer: My one true pairing (Usagi and Mamoru) sprang complete from the mind of Takeuchi Naoko, and they still belong to her. These little chocolate simulacrums, however are mine! *hugs the chocolate protectively to her chest*

Battle of the Cliff

Continued from Unnerving Meeting and First Impressions

Prince Endymion kept one eye on the ground in front of his racing feet and the other on the small woman as she continued her descent more rapidly than before. His eyes grew concerned as he saw her take more risks and slide more dangerously as a result. Her determination to reach the kitten and protect it from the hawk was making her act both brave and foolhardy. Panting heavily, he reached the base of the cliff and began to climb.

"Go away!" the woman yelled as she threw another rock at the diving hawk. "Leave it alone!" The prince barely managed to avoid the stone as it crashed into the cliff next to him. The hawk had avoided it as well, and scored another strike on the trapped kitten. "Stop it!" she ordered futilely.

Hearing a loud rattling sound, Prince Endymion looked up anxiously towards the woman. He had to turn his face away from the shower of pebbles and dirt that fell towards him. When he could see again, he found that she was now perched precariously on a small ledge above the kitten. In one hand, she held a small bush that she had pulled free from the hillside. The other was clamped onto a small rock behind her to help her maintain her balance. He breathed a sigh of relief and tried to climb faster.

Princess Serenity fought the hawk, squeaking in fear when it came too close to her and moaning whenever it managed to hurt the kitten below her. "What did the kitten do to you?" she asked the attacker. "It is just a baby. Leave it alone!"

"I think it is being controlled," Prince Endymion responded as he finally reached the ledge that the kitten was on. He yelped in surprise and ducked back down as the young _gatro_ hissed and swatted at him.

"Controlled?" the princess asked, surprised by his voice as well as his statement. She felt her heart melt with relief when she realized that someone had finally arrived to help her. "By what?"

"Who. And I do not know," he replied as he slowly tried to raise himself up to the kitten's ledge again. A warning growl convinced him to change his mind, and he looked around for another place to stand. "But we cannot let it win."

Princess Serenity swung at the hawk with her bush again, and then cried out in pain. Dropping her weapon, she drew her injured wrist back to her chest and cuddled it close.

"Are you all right?" Prince Endymion called anxiously as he clung to the side of the cliff and tried to look up at her.

"I… I am fine," she returned bravely as she blinked the tears out of her eyes. "It is only... a scratch."

Hearing the pain in her voice, he doubted her, but there was nothing that he could do about it in his precarious position. He turned his head and glared angrily at the hawk. "If only there was some way to knock it down…"

"You… You cannot hurt it," she objected. He looked up towards her in surprise. "You said that it is being controlled. It is not responsible for its actions."

"Do you have some other way of convincing it to go away, my lady?" he asked a little sarcastically. Even though he could not see her from where he was, he imagined that she was her biting her lower lip in frustration.

"I am trying," she replied with a frown. "If we could capture it…"

"That would not work," he answered. "It would fight any bindings we try to put on it and hurt itself."

"Perhaps we could get it to settle on the rock face and then knock it unconscious?" Even to her own ears, her voice sounded doubtful.

"I do not think…" The prince's voice was suddenly engulfed by a load roar. Startled, he turned to look towards the forest. Three full grown _gatro_ raced out of the trees and into the small clearing at the base of the cliff. Prince Endymion shifted nervously, and then began to climb towards the lady's ledge.

"Oh good," Princess Serenity sighed as she watched the hawk fly away with relief. "Look. It is leaving. And, your friends are here."

"They are not friends of mine," Prince Endymion grunted in reply as he carefully pushed himself up onto the thin outcropping she was standing on.

"Oh!" She turned to look at him in surprise, and blinked at his dirty, disheveled appearance. "You are here. But, I was talking to the kitten, not you. Maybe now, it will feel safe."

He studied her in return noting her filthy, torn skirts, one bare foot, and tangled white hair. He was trapped momentarily by her bright, azure eyes, and then a splash of red caught his attention. The prince frowned when he saw the amount of blood on the bodice of her dress where she had her wrist tightly pressed. "Perhaps," he absently agreed as he reached out to catch her arm. "Let me see that."

"No," she gasped as she tried to draw back. She cried out in fear and reached desperately for his arm as she teetered on the edge of the ledge. "I… I am all right," she said hurriedly after he had helped her to regain her balance.

"You are an idiot," he replied as he examined the deep cut on her wrist. Hearing her gasp of indignation, he looked up at her. "You should have stayed where you were and left the kitten alone."

"It needed my help," she insisted with a frown as she tried to pull her arm away more carefully. "It still does."

"Hold still," he muttered as he closed his hand over the gash. He resisted her gentle tugs, closed his eyes, and focused on the small amount of healing power that he could summon. The girl gasped again and became still as she felt the warm energy flowing into her wrist. After a long moment, he sighed and opened his eyes. "There. You should be careful with it for a few days or it will open again," he told her quietly as he released her arm.

To Be Continued in Falling


	45. Cliff: Falling

Title: Falling  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP (Optional: Crumble)  
Genre: Drama / Romance  
Version: Manga (Silver Millennium)  
Rating: PG  
Word Count: ~1,121

Disclaimer: My one true pairing (Usagi and Mamoru) sprang complete from the mind of Takeuchi Naoko, and they still belong to her. These little chocolate simulacrums, however are mine! *hugs the chocolate protectively to her chest*

Falling

Continued from Unnerving Meeting, First Impressions, and Battle of the Cliff

Princess Serenity studied her wrist in amazement. The pink flush that had surrounded it during the healing was fading as was the cut itself. "How did..." Her eyes flew up to his face and her voice trailed off as she felt him stiffen beside her. She saw the uneasiness and discomfort in his eyes, and changed her words. "Thank you," she said softly.

He nodded, and turned abruptly away from her understanding gaze to look down at the three large _gatro_ at the base of the cliff. They were milling around, grumbling loudly. He watched them with a puzzled expression for a moment, and then realized that they were unable to climb the cliff.

He turned his gaze to the kitten, and grimaced. Its ledge was too small for it to pace on, but it was obviously excited and scared. It cried down to the larger cats below as if begging for help.

"Well, go on," Princess Serenity urged as she, too, looked down at the kitten. It glanced up at her and mewed, and then turned its attention back to its larger relatives. "Oh, you can do it. Just go down the way you came up," she said encouragingly.

Prince Endymion started as he felt her turn around. "What are you doing?" he asked as he reached out to stop her. The young woman gave him a surprised look.

"I am going to help it," she answered, sounding a little surprised. "It just needs to see where the path is."

"I will do it," he volunteered abruptly. "You stay here." As she blinked at him uncertainly, he took a deep breath and turned to gingerly lower himself back down. He froze as he heard the mewling turn into a growl once more.

"Oh hush," Princess Serenity admonished as she carefully lowered herself down. "He is just trying to help you." Prince Endymion moved out of her way and watched with a mixture of fear and surprise as she climbed bravely down onto the kitten's ledge. "Here," she called as she patted the slim piece of ground. "Let us go this way, hmm?" He was even more surprised when the kitten began to edge its way towards her. "That is right. This way. Come this way," she urged as she began to climb down once more.

Moving slowly so as not to frighten the kitten, Prince Endymion began to follow them. With a lot of coaxing from the princess and herding from the prince, the two humans gently guided the kitten back down the path it had used to climb up the cliff. The prince glanced down at the full grown _gatro_ from time to time and saw that they were waiting with varying degrees of impatience.

They were almost to the bottom when it happened. Prince Endymion was spread across the face of the cliff reaching with his left hand for the next fingerhold when he felt the dirt under his right foot crumble and vanish. He flailed desperately for a second looking for some other hold, and then the rock under his right hand came free as well.

His other foot slipped off of its support, and he began to slide. "Look out!" he cried, trying to warn the woman, but it was too late. She screamed in pain and surprise when he crashed into her. Desperately, Prince Endymion twisted himself around so that he could gather her into his arms and shield her from the rough surface.

They slid and tumbled quite a distance, and then hit the hard grassy surface of the meadow. Princess Serenity lay on top of the man and threw her arms over her head to protect it from the dirt, pebbles, and rocks that continued to fall off of the cliff. Unseen by the humans, the _gatro_ watched anxiously as the kitten skittered its way down and made a desperate leap for safety. It landed on one of the darkly splotched males squalling in fear.

When the dirt and dust began to settle, Princess Serenity cautiously raised her head and looked around. She breathed a sigh of relief and smiled with bright thankfulness when she saw the kitten standing safely a short distance away.

"Are..." A coughing fit interrupted Prince Endymion's question. When Princess Serenity moved to get off of him, though, he tightened his arms around her. "Are you all right?" he asked hoarsely when he could speak again. His blue eyes searched her face anxiously.

"I... I am fine," she replied faintly as a blush began to spread across her pale cheeks. "And you, sir?"

He made a confirming sound as he nodded a little. They lay that way for several moments, looking into each other's faces and eyes, and then the mewling of the kitten caught their attention again. Princess Serenity's blush deepened as she began to push away from her captor, and Prince Endymion hurriedly released her.

Once he was free of her weight and skirts, he pushed himself quickly to his feet and then reached a hand out to her. She looked at him in surprise, and then bowed her head shyly as she slipped her hand into his. Carefully, he helped her to her feet.

"Thank you, Sir...?" she said softly as she tried vainly to straighten out her ruined skirts.

"It was nothing," he replied, ignoring her unspoken request for his name. He was suddenly reluctant to see the excited, eager look in her eyes that most women got when they realized that they were talking to the prince. "Lady...?"

She blushed again, and then paled. She realized, suddenly, that she had been on Earth for much longer than she had originally planned. Soon, her senshi would be looking for her. In fact, given how frightened she had been during the final slide down the cliff, they were probably already looking for her. She looked around the meadow nervously, and then stilled as she watched the _gatro_ move slowly towards the trees.

Prince Endymion followed her gaze, and then stiffened. "Zoisite," he muttered as he began to walk swiftly towards the cats. He did not notice that she did not follow him. "Wait!" he called as he strode across the meadow. "A word, please."

Princess Serenity smothered a sigh of relief, and then turned her face to the blue sky. Her seeking eyes found her home and she reached for the moonstone bracelet that was fortunately still around her wrist. With one last glance towards the departing man, she activated the spell which would send her home.

A bright flash behind him made Prince Endymion come to a sudden halt. He spun, his eyes searching for an attack. All he saw was an empty, sun drenched meadow.


	46. First Skirmish PGSM

Title: First Skirmish  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP (Optional: Help)  
Genre: Drama  
Version: PGSM (Silver Millennium - **Reference Spoiler**)  
Rating: PG  
Couple: Usagi x Mamoru  
Word Count: ~794

Disclaimer: My one true pairing (Usagi and Mamoru) sprang complete from the mind of Takeuchi Naoko, and they still belong completely to her except for the little bit she shares with Bandai. These little chocolate simulacrums, however are mine! *hugs the chocolate protectively to her chest*

Canon, spelling, grammar, and punctuation corrections are appreciated. So is constructive criticism and general comments. Please let me know if you see something that you like or that should be corrected. Thanks! - Raya

First Skirmish

Prince Endymion stared at the demonic creature in front of him with trepidation. It looked like a cross between a brier bush and a monkey assuming that said monkey was over six feet tall. As he dodged one of the whipping vines that the creature had for arms, he cursed himself for being too complacent and self assured. Kunzite had warned him many times that his attitude would get him in serious trouble. It looked now as if his tall guard's fears were about to come true.

Hidden in the trees a short distance away, Princess Serenity bit her lip and studied the scene anxiously. The handsome young man danced and dodged around the monster's attacks as if he were part Mauan, but there was no way that he could escape or win. His sword, which might have helped him hack his way to freedom, was lying across the clearing too far away for either of them to reach.

She gasped and took a step into the clearing as the monster finally managed to wrap one of its vine-like arms around the man and lift him into the air. When he began to scream, she ran towards him.

"Stop!" she ordered. Desperately, she wished that Sailor Venus or one of her other guardians would show up, but she knew that was impossible. This creature existed because of her sorrow at Sailor Venus' death, and the other senshi were still at home on the Moon without any idea that she might be in danger. "Let him go!"

Prince Endymion managed to turn his head, and, still screaming in pain, cracked open his eyes to see his rescuer. He closed them again almost immediately, certain that he was hallucinating. But, when he reopened his eyes, she was still there: his faerie princess, the delicate woman dressed all in white whom he had been chasing for three weeks. Suddenly concerned for her, he redoubled his efforts to escape.

Princess Serenity froze and clenched at her heart as the monster turned and looked at her. Surely, if she had created this thing she should be able to control it. "Put him down," she ordered again. Even to her own ears, her voice sounded weaker.

The creature responded by wrapping her in another one of its long tendrils. She cried out in pain as the thorns along the vine's length pricked into her delicate skin. The creature tightened its hold and began to squeeze.

Princess Serenity struggled against her fear as fiercely as she struggled against the vines that were cutting off her breath. She could not give in to it. She knew what would happen if she let that negative emotion take control. And then, suddenly, she felt something snap into place deep inside.

She stopped struggling, stiffened in the monster's embrace, and gave it a cold glare. "Let us go," she ordered firmly. When the creature merely tightened its grip in response, her eyes flashed. "Now. Let us go." She waited for another second, and then unleashed a burst of power from her Crystal.

On the verge of consciousness, Prince Endymion saw a silver halo surround the young woman. As the world turned black, a flash of silvery pink light pulsed out from her and vaporized the demon and the vines that had squeezed all of the air out of him. He never felt himself hit the ground.

Princess Serenity sat where she had fallen, gasping for breath. She lifted her head and looked around the clearing, and then squeezed her eyes shut. "No," she murmured. "Oh, no. I used it. I used… the Blessed Stone…"

Suddenly, she remembered that she was not alone. Her eyes snapped open, and she looked towards the unconscious young man. Terrified of what she would find, she crawled towards him and lifted his torso into her lap. She sagged with relief when she felt the rapid rise and fall of his chest. "No choice," she told herself. "I had to help. It was all my fault. I had to help."

She looked around the clearing, and then shook her head. She could not leave him here. He was wounded and unconscious, and the forest was a dangerous place for someone well and aware. Knowing that she shouldn't, she clasped him closer and summoned the power of her Blessed Stone once more. His form filled with silver bubbles of light, and then vanished.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kunzite stared down at the bloody mess that had appeared out of nowhere in front of the castle gate. "Get the healer," he told the guard who had frantically summoned him. As the man ran to do his bidding, he lifted his cold gaze to the haunted forest and then sent a silent summons to his fellow Shitennou.


	47. War: Dreams of Ancient Days

Title: Dreams of Ancient Days  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP (No Given Theme)  
Genre: General  
Version: Manga (post StarS / pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: G  
Couple: Usagi x Mamoru  
Word Count: ~834

Disclaimer: My one true pairing (Usagi and Mamoru) sprang complete from the mind of Takeuchi Naoko, and they still belong completely to her. These little chocolate simulacrums, however are mine! *hugs the chocolate protectively to her chest*

_Canon, spelling, grammar, and punctuation corrections are appreciated. So is constructive criticism and general comments. Please let me know if you see something that you like or that should be corrected. Thanks! - Raya_

Dreams of Ancient Days

She dreamed of the ancient days when she was the Princess of Moon and heir to the great stellar empire of the Silver Millennium. In her dreams, she perched on a white stone bench and stared up towards the distant planet that her love called home. Its blue and white beauty seemed to float in a rainbow. Her pretty face pouted slightly, and she wished absently that the sun would go down or that there was a way to stop the silver crystal dome's diffraction of the light. Earth's colors looked prettier and more vibrant when it floated in the dark blackness of night.

Suddenly, she frowned. Something was wrong. Endymion was in danger. She did not know where the certainty came from, but she knew that it was true.

"Serenity."

The princess turned towards the voice, bowing her head respectfully. She was now standing inside a large bedroom. Gauzy drapes billowed lazily in the wind as the white haired woman seated at the vanity table turned to look at her. With the surety of dreams, she knew she was now in her mother's bedroom.

The queen gave her a serious look, and then raised her hand. The princess picked up the shining crystal that lay in her palm and looked at it curiously. Its faceted roundness reminded her of the dome that soared overhead and kept life giving oxygen from escaping.

Thoughts of the dome led to thoughts of the planet that she had just been watching, and the princess tried not to fidget. She had to go to Earth. Endymion needed her. But, it was forbidden and she did not want to rouse her mother's suspicions. And somehow she knew that this was important, too.

"Note the structure," the queen said as she took the crystal back from her heir. "It is the facets that are important. They give the crystal more surface area, more room for absorbing and transmitting power." She held the gem up to the rainbow colored light from the sun and watched it sparkle for a moment. "The form… It does not matter," she said as she lowered it back to her lap. "Remember that, Serenity. The form is not the important thing. It is the facets. The more facets, the better. But the more facets, the more the diffraction. You must find a good balance."

When the princess nodded, she smiled sadly. "Go now. He needs you. And remember…. remember… remember…" Slowly, the queen and her bedroom faded away. Only the crystal remained, shining brightly in the darkness as a strange buzzing sound filled her ears.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

He dreamed of the ancient days when he was the Prince of the Golden Kingdom and heir to the secret, mysterious realm of Elysian. In his dreams, he leaned against a grey balustrade and stared up towards the distant satellite that his love called home. Its white glow was washed out by the noonday sun as it drifted through the pale blue sky. A wistfully disappointed look shadowed his handsome features as his blue eyes searched for the telltale sparkle that marked the Moon Castle. It was so much easier to see that magical rainbow colored smudge in the dark blackness of night.

The prince swayed and clutched at the balustrade as a wave of dizziness washed over him. In the distance, he could hear the shrill sound of the alarm bells ringing. '_An attack?!_' He searched the clearing far below looking for some sign of the approaching army.

Something drew his eyes reluctantly to the sky. In the distance, he could see a bank of black storm clouds. Something gleamed faintly against their darkness.

'_We must shield... But how?_' he wondered to himself as he listened to his people racing around him. Most searched for shelter. Some strapped on swords and armor, while others prepared the healing herbs and gathered bandages and splints. It would be no use, he knew. Whatever was coming, it was something that they could not possibly prepare for.

The glimmer had grown brighter, and now he could see what approached from the sky. Swords. Long, thin, deadly rapiers were slicing through the air. Behind them were short swords, long swords, scimitars, and cutlasses. And behind that deadly cloud was a row of enormous broadswords.

The prince shivered as the black clouds caught his attention again. There was one behind each broadsword, and they all had the same distinctive shape: mushroom. That was bad. That was very, very bad, although he could not remember why.

The clamor of the bells became a loud buzzing sound, but he continued to ignore it. Instead, he reached instinctively for his chest, searching for something which would drive the mushroom shaped clouds away. Before he could do more than rest his hand over his heart, however, eight beams of light streaked into the air. He had just enough time to note that each streak was a different color before the scene faded away into darkness. Only the buzzing sound remained.

Continued in Another Ending Begins


	48. War: Alarum

Title: Alarum  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP (Optional: Reaction)  
Genre: Drama  
Version: Manga (post StarS / pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: PG  
Word Count: ~629

Disclaimer: Mamoru, Usagi, Ami, and ChibiUsa all belong to Takeuchi Naoko. I only claim the missiles and this giant Godzilla doll. Rawr!! *smash smash smash*

_Canon, spelling, grammar, and punctuation corrections are appreciated. So is constructive criticism and general comments. Please let me know if you see something that you like or that should be corrected. Thanks! - Raya_

Alarum

_Continued from _Dreams of Ancient Days_ and _Another Ending Begins_._

Mamoru came awake abruptly and dove protectively towards his sleeping wife, waking her up. "It's all right, Mamoru-san," a familiar voice said softly from near the door of the bedroom. "It is just me. I tried ringing the doorbell, but no one answered." He relaxed slightly, looked towards the door, and relaxed even more when Super Sailor Mercury stepped into a patch of moonlight.

"You must get up and get dressed now," the senshi said quickly and calmly. "We have to go."

"Go?" Usagi asked as she rubbed at the sleep in her eyes. There had been a dream. Something that she had to remember. Something that she had to do. "Go where?" she continued. Groggily, she and her husband sat up.

"To an island in the South Pacific," her friend replied as she turned around and fumbled for the light switch.

"An island?" Usagi replied as she raised her arm and squinted against the light. "Why are we going to an island? And, why now? In the middle of the night? Ami-chan, it's two o'clock in the morning!"

Mamoru felt his gut clench in nervous fear as he studied Super Sailor Mercury's evasive expression.

"Please, Usagi-san, we just need to."

"It's started, hasn't it?" he asked as he clenched the sheet around his waist and slid to the edge of the bed. Super Sailor Mercury suddenly blushed and averted her gaze as he stood and walked towards the chair that held his clothes.

"What?" Usagi demanded as she stood and picked up the robe that was lying near the bed. "What has started? Will someone tell me what is going on?"

Super Sailor Mercury bit her lip uncertainly. "War," Mamoru said, taking the decision out of her hands. "War has started."

Usagi froze, and then turned wide eyes towards her husband. Slowly, she shook her head. Slowly, he nodded back to her. "They would never..." she began to protest.

Mamoru turned to Super Sailor Mercury as he dropped the sheet and quickly pulled on his pants. "How long?"

"Eight minutes, maybe less," the senshi replied as she walked towards their closet keeping her back firmly towards him. She opened it and grabbed the first dress that came to hand.

"Eight minutes..." Suddenly, Usagi collapsed to the bed. She knew her friends would not have waited until the last moment like this unless they had had no other warning. "Missiles... Like they were talking about on the news last week. Someone has launched missiles at us."

"Hurry, Usagi-san," Super Sailor Mercury said as she slowly turned back towards the bed. Seeing that Mamoru was decently covered and heading towards the door, she hurried to her queen's side and handed her the dress.

Usagi accepted it, and then grabbed Super Sailor Mercury's hand. "What type of missiles?" When her friend looked away, she tightened her grip. "What type, Ami-chan?" she asked again, her voice rising.

"We have no time," Super Sailor Mercury replied. "Hurry, Usagi-chan. Please!"

Usagi lifted her chin, and then let her friend's arm go. Standing, she quickly shed her nightgown and slipped into the pink and white sundress that she had been given. She brushed her hair back over her shoulders and then turned to walk quietly towards the door. Super Sailor Mercury quickly snatched a sweater out of the closet for her queen to use at night, and bundled it up with the nightgown. It was the best that she could do in the few precious minutes that they had left.

Mamoru appeared in the doorway as Usagi reached it, their sleepy, teenaged daughter behind him. "Mercury, I entrust them to you," he said as he gently pushed ChibiUsa into the room.

"I am not going anywhere," Usagi announced quietly.

_Continued in _Conception


	49. Aphrodisiac: Suspicious Gifts PGSM

Title: Suspicious Gifts  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP (Optional: Aphrodisiac)  
Genre: General / Fantasy / Romance  
Version: PGSM – SilMil (spoiler level Pallas, i.e., NONE)  
Rating: G  
Couple: Usagi x Mamoru  
Word Count: ~733

Disclaimer: My one true pairing (Usagi and Mamoru) sprang complete from the mind of Takeuchi Naoko, and they still belong to her except for the piece she shared with Bandai. These little chocolate simulacrums, however are mine! *hugs the chocolate protectively to her chest*

_Canon, spelling, grammar, and punctuation corrections are appreciated. So is constructive criticism and general comments. Please let me know if you see something that you like or that should be corrected. Thanks! - Raya_

Suspicious Gifts

"Well? What do you think?" Rosé asked Blanche as she turned to look over her shoulder at her friend.

The white Rose Faerie hummed thoughtfully as she studied the glowing liquid that floated in the air in front of her friend. "I don't know... They've resisted all of our efforts so far. Are you sure this will work?"

Rosé drew herself up indignantly. "Of _course_ it will work! I put in cinnamon and vanilla and chili pepper and jasmine and sandalwood and rose and other good aphrodisiacs like that. How could it fail?"

Blanche gave her a doubtful look. "Chili pepper and vanilla? Together?"

"Hey! It works! Tru-u-u-ust me..."

"If you say so," her unconvinced friend replied. "But then there is the next question: how are you going to get them to drink it?"

The red Rose Faerie blinked. "Ummm..."

"Or is it supposed to be inhaled?"

"No, it has to be digested," Rosé said as she shook her head. "I'll come up with something."

"Better hurry," Blanche said as she looked up at the crescent moon. "She's coming..."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Princess Serenity sighed as she opened her eyes. It was so nice to get away. She was not sure she could have handled another minute of the boring ball game that the young noblemen had been playing. And the looks that they had been giving her had started to make her feel uncomfortable. Was Sailor Jupiter right? Were they trying to court her?

She smiled as she began to walk across the clearing. '_An example of irony,_' she thought to herself in amusement. '_I have to go to a haunted forest on a forbidden planet to find relaxation. I am more comfortable with the monsters in this wood than I am with my own people. Too bad I can't use that on my essay. Luna would love it!_' As she slipped into the trees, she wondered if she would see him today.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

She found him in their favorite clearing, the one that they had met in almost two months before. She smiled happily as she lifted her skirts and hurried to his side. Hearing the rustle of her skirts and her footfalls in the grass, he turned and smiled at her.

"Prince Endymion," she said softly as she came to a stop beside him and smiled up at him shyly.

"Princess Serenity," he replied just as softly. He turned and gestured to the tree stump that he was standing in front of. "Is this yours?"

She looked at the stump curiously. A delicate, lacy napkin had been spread across its rough surface. Sitting on the napkin were two small brown cubes. They looked like pieces of candy to her. Her smile brightened as she looked up at him again. "For me?"

Prince Endymion blinked, and then studied the candy more suspiciously. "You did not leave this here?" he asked again, just to confirm that it had not been a surprise gift from her. When she shook her head, he frowned and grabbed her hand. Looking around warily, he led her out of the clearing.

"Endymion?" she asked in surprise as she allowed him to pull her along. "Is something wrong?"

"It could be a trap," he replied as he tightened his grip on her hand. "And I don't feel like fighting today." He smiled at her over his shoulder. "I would rather hear you play." His smile widened at her pleased look.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Oh, aphids," Rosé pouted as she leaned her chin into her hand.

"Language," Blanche replied automatically, as she mirrored her friend's pose. They were sitting in the branches of an old oak tree at the edge of the clearing watching their targets walk quickly away.

"Yeah, yeah..." her friend replied with a sigh. "I wonder what went wrong? They should not have been able to resist the glamour."

"They must be protected," Blanche said thoughtfully as she began to swing her feet back and forth. "That would be why the love spells and glamours don't work."

"Then what do I do?" Rosé asked as she turned towards her more intelligent friend.

Blanche did not bother to suggest that they give up. This couple had become a challenge, and she was just as determined as Rosé to win. "We have to get it in their system somehow..." She narrowed her dark pink eyes and continued to swing her feet thoughtfully.


	50. Aphrodisiac: Great Plans PGSM

Title: The Great Plan  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP (Optional: An Imperfect World by xxbcxx)  
Genre: General / Fantasy / Romance  
Version: PGSM – SilMil (spoiler level Pallas, i.e., NONE)  
Rating: G  
Couple: Usagi x Mamoru  
Word Count: ~1,019

Disclaimer: My one true pairing (Usagi and Mamoru) sprang complete from the mind of Takeuchi Naoko, and they still belong to her except for the piece she shared with Bandai. These little chocolate simulacrums, however are mine! *hugs the chocolate protectively to her chest*

_Canon, spelling, grammar, and punctuation corrections are appreciated. So is constructive criticism and general comments. Please let me know if you see something that you like or that should be corrected. Thanks! - Raya_

The Great Plan

_Technically follows after _Suspicious Gifts_ which is written for the Aphrodisiac challenge._

Hiding in the branches of a ginko tree, the two Rose Faeries exchanged a determined look. This time, they would do it. They would make the couple walking so innocently below them fall madly, passionately in love.

Blanche looked towards the beautiful spider web that they had draped across the path. It sparkled with the aphrodisiac that Rosé had mixed together, the crystal clear drops looking as innocent as dew. After the debacle with the refused chocolate, the Rose Faeries were taking no chances. This aphrodisiac would make it into the couple's system. Her friend had made this batch so strong that just one of those drops, absorbed through the skin would be enough to bring on five minutes of passionate kissing and groping. They could hardly wait.

"And then Jadeite swung the fan up over his head so that he could hit the bug again. But,..." Prince Endymion broke off with a laugh as he remembered the scene.

"But, what?" Princess Serenity asked curiously as she savored the sound of his laughter. "Let me guess," she said quickly before he could respond. "Instead of hitting the bug, he hit... Kunzite," saying the first impossible thing that came to mind. "Right across the chest."

Prince Endymion grinned down at her. "Close," he said. His grin widened when she gave him a surprised look. "Across the head. Kunzite came into the courtyard to see what all the screaming was about, and Jadeite swung the fan up really high, and..." Their laughter danced through the trees around them as they came to a stop on the path.

"I can imagine that your Kunzite was not pleased with that," Princess Serenity said as she looked up at him with shining eyes. "He seems so... so..."

"Serious?" Prince Endymion supplied as he enjoyed the beautiful sight of her smiling face. "Uptight?"

"Dignified," Princess Serenity replied as she stared up at him.

Prince Endymion nodded. "That he is. Very. So, seeing him hit in the head by a fan was so very funny. His expression... He wasn't expecting it, so his expression was even more amusing."

Realizing that they had been staring into each other's eyes for several long moments, he quickly turned away and started to walk down the path again. Something sparkled in the sunlight in front of him and he stopped abruptly again, stretching his arm across the path to keep the princess behind him.

"What is it?" she asked nervously as she looked around for a monster.

The prince scanned the path in front of them very closely, and then relaxed. "It's a spider web," he replied as he lowered his arm. He heard her make a curious sound and felt her step forward to stand beside him.

"Ah! How pretty," she murmured as she watched the sunlight dance across the drops of liquid that drenched the web.

The two Rose Faeries held their breath expectantly, and watched as the couple studied the web. Any minute now, they would touch it and the aphrodisiac would soak into their skin. Any moment now, they would brush it out of their way. Any second now, they would decide to take it home.

"Ahhh! I can't take it any more!" Rosé exclaimed as she dove from the tree.

"Wait!" Blanche cried, reaching helplessly after her friend. She automatically followed the red Rose Faerie down to the path.

Prince Endymion turned his head, startled by the high pitched voices. He saw a flash of red sparkles, and then felt something push him between his shoulder blades. Startled, he stumbled forward.

*Don!* he heard the voice squeak as he reached up to drag the spiderweb off of his face. '_There!_' his mind translated a fraction of a second later.

"Endymion!" Princess Serenity exclaimed as she reached out to help him. "Are you all right? What happened? Ah!" She blinked and rubbed at the wet spidersilk that suddenly hit her in the face.

"Be careful," he said as his eyes darted around looking for his assailant. Hidden in the trees once more, Rosé laughed merrily. The prince waited for a second assault, but satisfied that her great aphrodisiac had been successfully administered, the Rose Faerie perched contentedly on her branch and waited for the fun to begin.

"I... I do not think there are any monsters around," Princess Serenity said tentatively as she clasped the prince's strong arm.

"Not monsters," he muttered as he gave the area one last raking glance. "Not that kind at any rate." Behind her screen of leaves, Rosé pulled down the bottom of one eyelid and stuck her tongue out at him. Blanche just watched the couple with a growing frown.

"Shall we go?" the princess asked as she released him and stepped back. "I need to return soon."

Prince Endymion made a sound of agreement as he reluctantly nodded and turned to continue down the path. When his gaze crossed the princess' face, he stopped and stared. In their hiding place, the Rose Faeries leaned forward expectantly.

They collapsed when he just smiled at the beautiful girl that he should be ravishing with her complete consent, and turned to continue down the path. "Where was I?" they heard him ask as he disappeared from sight. "Oh. Jadeite and his bug. Well, it turns out that it was Nephrite that..."

Rosé made a strangled sound which drowned out the rest of his sentence. "Why? WHY? That was the most powerful aphrodisiac I know! They both absorbed it! How could they just walk away?!"

"Lucky!" Blanche said as she slowly straightened up.

Rosé glanced at her, and then frowned when she saw the unusual flush on her friend's face and the strange, unfocused look in her dark pink eyes. "Lucky? How? Blanche..."

The white Rose Faerie gave her a blinding smile as she hopped up to hover over the branch. Before Rosé could stop her, Blanche dove down to the path, following after the vanished couple.

"Nooo... Blanche! Come back!" the red Rose Faerie wailed as she suddenly realized what had happened. "Blanche!" Calling her friend's name anxiously, she flew after them.


	51. Overwhelmed

Title: Overwhelmed  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP (Optional: Emotional)  
Genre: General / Fluff  
Version: Manga (post StarS / pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: PG  
Couple: Usagi x Mamoru  
Word Count: ~406

Disclaimer: My one true pairing (Usagi and Mamoru) and their beautiful little girl sprang complete from the mind of Takeuchi Naoko, and they still belong completely to her. These little chocolate simulacrums, however are mine! *hugs the chocolate protectively to her chest*

_Canon, spelling, grammar, and punctuation corrections are appreciated. So is constructive criticism and general comments. Please let me know if you see something that you like or that should be corrected. Thanks! - Raya_

Overwhelmed

He had always thought that Usagi was the emotional one. It was Usagi who cried over sappy old romance movies. She was the one who laughed so freely with strangers as well as friends; the one who got upset over the most trivial things. His beautiful wife wore her heart on her sleeve and her surface emotions on her face for all to see, and he loved her for it.

He, on the other hand, was usually calm, cool, and collected. Rarely did he feel an emotion so strong that it broke through his control. It was one of the things that made him such a good trauma doctor, he knew. He hoped that it also made him a good husband, a rock of strength for his wife to lean on.

But sometimes, the emotions welled up so strongly that he could not control them, and this was one of those times. His hands were trembling so badly that he was scared that he would drop his precious, fragile burden. "She's so beautiful..." he whispered as he shifted backwards blindly.

Trying to ignore the doctor and nurses as they began to clean and sew her up, Usagi turned her eyes towards him. A gentle, radiant smile lit her face as she studied his expression. Tears were streaming unheeded down his cheeks, and he looked ecstatic, terrified, and relieved all at once as he stared down at the tiny, squirming newborn cupped so gently in his hands. She reached out and touched his arm offering him her support. "Yes, she is."

Finally, he tore his eyes away from his brand new daughter and looked towards his wife. Despite the exhaustion in her eyes and the dark circles from the long, sleepless night, her expression was joyous as she smiled at him. "I love you," she said softly as she squeezed his arm gently. He took a deep, shuddering breath, and then carefully handed the tiny baby to her.

"Welcome, Small Lady," she whispered as she bent her head and pressed a kiss to her heir's soft fuzzy head. "It's about time you came out," she added with loving exasperation.

Mamoru slid a shaky hand onto her shoulder, moving up past the cloth so that he could touch the skin that was exposed by the neckline. The other reached down to stroke his daughter's soft head. And for the moment, he let Usagi be his rock of strength.


	52. Honeymoon Solstice Festival

Title: Honeymoon Solstice Festival  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP (Optional: Solstice)  
Genre: General / Romance  
Version: Manga (Crystal Tokyo, pre-R)  
Rating: G  
Couple: Usagi x Mamoru  
Word Count: ~840

Disclaimer: My one true pairing (Usagi and Mamoru) sprang complete from the mind of Takeuchi Naoko, and they still belong to her. These little chocolate simulacrums, however are mine! *hugs the chocolate protectively to her chest*

_Canon, spelling, grammar, and punctuation corrections are appreciated. So is constructive criticism and general comments. Please let me know if you see something that you like or that should be corrected. Thanks! - Raya_

Honeymoon Solstice Festival

Neo-Queen Serenity stood at the window and looked down on the chaos that had enveloped the green field that served as the Crystal Palace's 'front lawn'. Multicolored tents were springing up everywhere like giant, oddly shaped flowers. On the east side of the field, several rollercoasters were being set up, fleshing out the midway that had grown around the large ferris wheel. In the center of the field were the food and beverage tents and the booths that sheltered the fortune tellers and artists.

"Enjoying the view?"

The queen turned her head and smiled welcomingly at her husband. "They're all working so hard in spite of this heat," she replied as he stopped beside her and looked out the window.

King Endymion chuckled. "It's not often that we throw a fair," he said as he smiled down at her. "In fact, I don't remember ever doing so before. Of course they're excited."

Neo-Queen Serenity turned her gaze back out the window again. "They deserve it after all they have been through," she said softly. A shadow of sadness passed across her face as she thought of the pain, fear, and hardship her people had faced because of Rahidi and his recent rebellion.

King Endymion nodded slightly, and then slipped an arm around her waist. "What is bothering you?" he asked quietly as he gently pulled her into his side. "Is it the security? Jupiter and Venus will be constantly by Small Lady's side, and Mercury and Mars will be scanning the crowds for dangerous activity." He let his voice trail away as she shook her white head. "Then?" he prompted. His wife pulled away from him slightly and looked away. "Serenity?" he asked curiously.

"It's nothing," she said evasively. When he tightened his arm around her waist, she glanced up at him, and then sighed. "Really, it's nothing," she said again. "You'll just think I'm silly." He just waited patiently for her to continue.

"I... I was just wondering if they will understand the significance," she said abruptly as she looked down towards the growing fair once more.

"Significance?" he asked when it became obvious that she was not going to say more. Her azure eyes flashed to his face, and then away again as her shoulders slumped. He looked down to the fair, and then back to her. "You called it the Honeymoon Solstice Festival...," he mused as he tried to untangle her puzzle. "Not our honeymoon or anniversary; that is in March. Because it is June, the traditional month for weddings?"

"Well, that is one of the reasons I chose the honeymoon theme," she admitted as she reached out to play with the windowsill. She still avoided his eyes.

"And solstice because it is the summer solstice," he added with a triumphant smile. It faded away as she shook her head vigorously enough to make her long white pigtails dance.

"Yes, but why did I choose the solstice?" she asked as she turned to look up at him. "Why not the New Year or Golden Week?"

King Endymion blinked. "Because the solstice is almost, but not quite, yours and Small Lady's birthday?" he asked tentatively. That had always been his assumption, but now he was unsure. He knew that he was wrong when his wife blinked at him, and then turned away, sighing sadly. He frowned as he tried to think of any other reason she would have for asking for a fair in June as opposed to another time of year.

Finally, he shook his head. "Explain it to me," he requested as he squeezed her encouragingly.

Neo-Queen Serenity was quiet for a long moment, and then she leaned into him. Her azure eyes sought out the pale moon as it slowly rose over the eastern horizon. "It is the solstice...," she said slowly, "the time when the Moon and Sun are equal. Balanced." She stole a glance up at his face to see if he understood. Seeing his patient, listening look she realized that he had not. "Death Phantom... he always tries to stir up the fears that the Moon has conquered the Earth. It is not true," she agreed hastily when he stiffened and looked ready to argue, "but that is the fear he instills and builds upon, and the people are still thinking about it. So, to reassure everyone, we are having this festival on the Solstice when the Moon," she placed her left hand over her heart, "and the Sun," she moved the hand to cover his heart, "are equal. In the summer, when everything is green and growing and it is warm enough to celebrate outdoors." King Endymion's eyes widened in surprise. "But if you did not get it, no one will," she sighed as she let her hand fall away.

He caught it before it could fall back to her side, and gave it a gentle squeeze. His mind raced, considering and discarding ideas. "Don't worry," he said as he raised her hand to his lips for a kiss. "They will."


	53. Secrets End

Title: Secrets End  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP (Optional: **"Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within."** -- James Baldwin)  
Genre: Drama / Romance  
Version: Manga (Silver Millennium)  
Rating: PG  
Couple: Usagi x Mamoru  
Word Count: ~2,233

Disclaimer: My one true pairing (Usagi and Mamoru) and their protectors sprang complete from the mind of Takeuchi Naoko, and they still belong to her. These little chocolate simulacrums, however are mine! *hugs the chocolate protectively to her chest, and then reluctantly hands the chocolate Jadeite to blue to avoid being pummeled*

_Canon, spelling, grammar, and punctuation corrections are appreciated. So is constructive criticism and general comments. Please let me know if you see something that you like or that should be corrected. Thanks! - Raya_

Secrets End

Princess Serenity leaned against the warm pile of stone behind her, both hands pressed hard against her lips, and stared in horror as Prince Endymion fought valiantly against three assailants. Beside him, his four guards did their best to fight their own opponents while protecting him from as many blows as possible.

There was something strange about this enemy. The princess squeezed her eyes shut briefly and then opened them quickly as the forms of the attacking soldiers seemed to stretch and contort. It was almost as if they were overlaid by shadows that teased and tugged her eyes away from their true forms.

There was no choice, she knew. She would have to call for help. As experienced and skilled as Endymion and his warriors were, they were hopelessly outnumbered. It would not be long before they were overwhelmed.

Calling for help would have consequences, though, and so she delayed. Endymion and his men would learn who she really was. Even worse, her friends and guardians would learn of her secret escapades and rule breaking. It might even cause a political incident. She prayed fervently that more of Endymion's guards would come to their aid.

The enemy leader raised his dark battle axe into the air, and Princess Serenity found her gaze caught by it. It seemed to glisten in the morning light as it hung poised over Endymion's slightest warrior, the one with the long, light auburn hair pulled back into a ponytail at the nape of his neck.

The movement caught Prince Endymion's eye, and he cried out a warning. Diving towards Zoisite, he pushed the younger man out of the path of the whistling axe. The dark blade bit deep into the prince's shoulder armor, and he cried out again. Only luck and his instinctive reaction to collapse to his knees under the blow kept the heavy blade from splitting through the heavy plate epaulets. His arm went numb, and he dropped his sword.

The prince's eyes widened as he heard a shrill, feminine shriek, and he jerked his head instinctively towards the small stand of rocks that he had told Serenity to hide in. His mouth gaped open soundlessly, and he reached towards her as he saw her racing heedlessly into the battle, long white gown fluttering madly around her legs. '_Get back,_' he tried to shout at her breathlessly. But it was too late.

She came to a stop between him and the enemy and threw her arms around his neck. "Endymion!" she sobbed hysterically. "No! Endymion!"

As he wrapped his good arm around her trembling body, he looked desperately towards his enemy. The tall, heavy set man smirked as he raised his axe again. Prince Endymion pulled at the woman that stood between them, trying desperately to get her down and covered by his own body. She shifted her feet, digging them into the hard earth and refusing to budge.

As the axe swung down once more, Kunzite and Jadeite called out in terrified anger and struggled to throw off their opponents so they could race to their prince's side. Nephrite, who had been fighting some distance away, turned and stared in horror as he realized what was about to happen. Zoisite reached helplessly up from where his prince had thrown him, wishing for the sword that he had dropped as a sick feeling washed over him.

Just before the axe reached the princess' pale neck, a blast of golden light threw it backwards. The heavy set warrior fell back, one arm raised to shield his eyes from the light, as a sphere of pinkish silver light surrounded the couple that he had been about to cut down. Slowly, Princess Serenity raised her head and lifted her face to the sky. On her forehead, a golden crescent moon glowed brightly and then a pillar of light surrounded her.

Sailor Venus lowered her trembling arm and stared at the scene in front of her. If she had ignored that horrible feeling that Serenity was in danger… If it had taken her any longer to reach this forbidden world… If she had trusted that foreign prince and his warriors to protect her princess… She did not want to complete the thoughts that were racing around in her head.

As the pillar of light faded, Princess Serenity slowly opened her eyes. Her azure gaze met her cousin's sky blue one, begging for help and pleading for discretion. Sailor Venus' face tightened, and then, as a surge of energy let her know that the other senshi had arrived, nodded very slightly. She knew as well as her princess what could happen if the Earthlings discovered that they were from the Silver Millennium. Even more, she feared what they would do if they learned that Serenity was the princess of the Moon and the heir to the stellar empire.

"Striking a beautiful woman from behind?" the golden warrior called in the local language as she drew the backside of her hand across her face and summoned her mask. "How very unchivalrous. I, the Masked Warrior of Love and Beauty, will punish you for such a crime."

She felt the surprise and uncertainty of her teammates behind her as they tried to place their surroundings and compared her actions to the scene in front of them. Predictably, it was Sailor Mars who recovered her equilibrium first.

"Demons of lust and hate, I sense you," the dark haired senshi called as she summoned her mask as well. "I, the Masked Warrior of Fire and Passion, will banish you back to your rightful place."

"Thirty against five…," Sailor Jupiter mused thoughtfully as she rubbed her chin. The flashing green eyes behind her mask belied her calm tone. "That is hardly a fair fight. I, the Masked Warrior of Strength and Protection, will even the odds."

Sailor Mercury's chin tightened as she suddenly realized where they were and the potential political crisis at stake. She berated herself for not keeping a closer eye on her princess, and then pushed the useless thoughts to the back of her mind to deal with later. "This land is peaceful and prosperous, yet you seek to bring pain and destruction. I, the Masked Warrior of Water and Wisdom, will wash your dark designs away."

As the strangely accented voices called out their challenges, Prince Endymion looked towards the pile of stone that had been Serenity's shelter. His eyes narrowed as he studied the outfits of the women standing there. Each wore a simple, white, form fitting top with white gloves, masks, and short colored skirts. Short streamers danced in the wind from the colored bows on their chest and the small of their back, and only two of them wore practical shoes. Despite this, however, the women wore an aura of calm competence that he associated with experienced warriors. Something about their outfits tugged at his mind, but refused to come out.

The combatants stared at each other for a long moment, and then the leader of the enemy growled and raised his axe once more. "Crescent Beam!" Sailor Venus cried as she leapt off of the rock. She flipped once in the air, her golden hair following her like a shimmering banner, and then fired her attack as she landed in the middle of the battlefield. The beam of light hit the axe, shattering it in the man's hand.

Prince Endymion jerked Serenity down in front of him and sheltered her from the flying splinters with his body. Then, he stumbled to his feet, pulled her up, and pushed her ahead of him back towards the pile of stones. Around him, the four strange women joined with his warriors to battle back the enemy.

"I'm sorry," Princess Serenity sobbed as the prince positioned her in front of the pile and placed himself protectively between her and the fight. "Endymion, I am so sorry. I should have called them sooner… I should never have come…"

"Hush," he said firmly as he glanced at her over his shoulder. "It is not your fault that we were attacked. Everything will be all right now. I promise."

'_Of course,_' she wanted to say. '_Of course everything will be all right. They are here now, my guardian senshi._' Instead, she gave him a shaky smile and let him think that he was reassuring her.

With the addition of the senshi and their magical attacks, the battle was a short one. The enemy retreated a short distance, and then broke and ran. Sailor Venus reached out to grab Sailor Jupiter's arm. "Let them go," she called to her team. "They're not our responsibility."

Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Mars looked momentarily rebellious, and then nodded their heads and followed her back towards their princess. Kunzite gave them a suspicious look, and then turned his attention to Jadeite and Nephrite who were still pursuing the routed enemy.

"Princess, are you all right?" Sailor Venus asked quietly in the language of the Silver Millennium as she stopped in front of the prince. "Did they hurt you at all?" Off to one side, Zoisite jerked up and spun around to stare at them.

"I am fine, Venus," the princess replied in the same language as she gave Endymion a sidelong look. She turned her gaze towards her senshi, and then blushed. "Thank you for saving us," she said softly as she lowered her eyes.

"What were you thinking?" Sailor Mars asked angrily. "You know it is dangerous here! You know it is forbidden!" The princess hung her head as Prince Endymion stiffened and glared at the dark haired woman.

"Mars, later," Sailor Venus ordered as she saw the prince's reaction. "Wait until we…"

"The Silver Tongue… You are speaking the Silver Tongue!" Zoisite blurted, interrupting her. Kunzite stiffened and spun back around to face them. The four senshi stiffened as well, and Sailor Venus cursed silently in her head. Just her luck that one of these men would recognize their language.

Zoisite turned his eyes to Serenity. "You… You had a crescent moon on your face… And then there was a pillar of light… And then four magical women warriors speaking the Silver Tongue appear… You are from the Silver Millennium!"

"Princess!" Sailor Venus ordered sharply as she held out her hand.

Tears filled Princess Serenity's eyes as she realized that her worst fears were coming true. She pressed into Endymion's back, savoring this one last feel of him, and then reluctantly pushed her way past him and walked towards her guardians.

As she turned for one last look at her love, she saw Kunzite and Zoisite standing protectively beside him, fierce expressions on their faces. "Endymion!" she cried as Sailor Venus and Sailor Mars gripped her shoulders firmly yet gently. She would never see him again. She had to tell him. Now! She reached out for him as she felt the energy swirl up around her friends. "Endymion! I love you!" she called desperately as he faded from her sight. "Endymion!!"

"Serenity!" Prince Endymion lunged towards her desperately as he realized that she was disappearing, trying to reach the hand that she held out to him. He fought against his friends' hands as they tried to hold him back. "Serenity!!" He stopped and swayed as she vanished from his sight. "No!" he wailed.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Princess Serenity stood on her balcony and stared up at the Earth as it floated in the dark night sky overhead. Tears trickled slowly down her face, and she wondered, yet again, whether or not he had heard her declaration.

She shook her head and swiped at the wetness. "It was worth it," she whispered to herself. "He is safe… That is what matters." The words were cold comfort to her aching heart. It would be impossible to slip away to see him any time soon. Now that they knew, all of her guardians would be watching her closely. She might never be able to get to Earth again. "It was worth it…" she whispered again as she sank down to the cold white floor and wrapped her arms around herself. "Oh, Endymion…"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Prince Endymion stared up at the moon, wondering if she lived on the half that was illuminated above him. "Serenity," he whispered.

He remembered now. He remembered what it was about the women's uniforms that bothered him. Each woman had worn an individual color: golden orange, fiery red, vibrant green, and soothing blue. He remembered, now, the conversation that they had had several months ago as they watched the sun set in the sky, the night of their first kiss. Each of her friends wore a particular color, she had said. And they watched over her. "Blue, orange, red, and green…" he murmured as he remembered her words. "Not to individualize them, but as a part of their individuality."

Princess. According to Zoisite, that was what the one in the orange skirt had called her. And if she truly was their princess, they would never let her return to Earth. He wondered how she had escaped their watchful eyes to come to his planet in the first place. He wondered how she had managed to cross that distance safely. With magic?

Slowly, he straightened up, a determined look on his face. If it was magic, then he would seek it out. He had to. He had something to tell her.


	54. Flirting With Danger

Title: Flirting With Danger  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP (Optional: Honour)  
Genre: Romance  
Version: Anime (Silver Millennium)  
Rating: PG  
Couple: Usagi x Mamoru  
Word Count: ~905

Disclaimer: My one true pairing (Usagi and Mamoru) sprang complete from the mind of Takeuchi Naoko, and they still belong to her. These little chocolate simulacrums, however are mine! *hugs the chocolate protectively to her chest*

_Canon, spelling, grammar, and punctuation corrections are appreciated. So is constructive criticism and general comments. Please let me know if you see something that you like or that should be corrected. Thanks! - Raya_

Flirting With Danger

She stared at the tall masked man in front of her with surprise mixed with a shiver of nervous fear. Even though most of his face was covered by the domino mask, she knew those eyes; those wonderful eyes that were the same color as the beautiful planet hanging so low in the night sky. Her mind raced, wondering how he had slipped into the palace, how he had made it to Moon at all, how to keep his identity from being discovered, and how to help him escape as he had helped her so many times.

Standing below her, his gloved hand held outstretched, he allowed a trace of a smirk to shade his lips. His shining eyes challenged her, daring her to take the risk and play his dangerous game. She felt her spine straighten just a little and her chin rise slightly in response. Something in her rose up to meet that challenge, the side of her that encouraged her to slip away to his world even though she knew that it was both dangerous and forbidden.

Slowly, she rested her hand on his and walked down the last three steps. The glow in his eyes grew brighter as their expression became triumphant. Her chin rose even more as she pulled her hand away and spun around as if to spurn his touch. He just waited, though, his gaze confidant and amused as the orchestra began to play. With a smile on her lips, she let herself give in to that confidence and slipped her hand back into his. She ignored the stares of her other guests as they tried to place a name to the mysterious man she had honored with her first dance of the evening.

He pulled her close, and she felt her breath falter for just a moment. He was so strong, so self-assured. It was more than the steadiness of the hands that held her. More, even, than the toned muscles that she could feel under her hand on his upper arm. It was the firmness with which he guided her around the dance floor. Most young men were nervous around her, either waiting for her to make the first move or moving so forcefully that it was as if she were being pushed rather than guided. Not this one. He pushed just hard enough to tell her which way to go and how fast, but easily enough that she could resist if she chose. He was not the least bit intimidated by her rank or power, and that knowledge thrilled her.

She felt that strange feeling wash over her again, the one that always seemed to come when he took her into his arms. It was as if her spine were melting into her stomach as her heart tried to hammer its way out of her chest. She followed his lead instinctively as she stared deep into his eyes.

They were even brighter now, those blue eyes. They told her that he knew what he was doing to her, and that he found it just as exciting as she did. That excitement was like a magnet, holding her gaze as they danced. She barely heard the music, barely registered that no one was objecting to the way he held her. She could feel the heat building in the small space between them as they moved. Only the knowledge that she needed to protect him and the challenge that still shone in his eyes kept her from moving closer.

She felt his hands shift slightly as the music reached a crescendo. Slowly, he guided her out into a free dip. She closed her eyes and relaxed into the move, trusting him completely to keep her upright and safe. They paused for just a moment, in perfect time with the music, and then he drew her back up and into his arms. She let her eyes open again and smiled brightly up at him.

All too soon, the dance ended, and he guided her back towards the steps where they had met. She resisted his movement when she realized where they were going, and then turned slightly to walk towards the open doors to the balcony. She could feel the eyes on them, feel the questions that were rushing through her courtiers' minds, but she did not stop until they were out in the cool evening air, just at the edge of the light that spilled out from the ballroom. It gave them the illusion of privacy although their forms were still in full view to all who cared to watch. Then, she turned to look up at him.

"End..." Her whisper was cut off by two gloved fingers as they pressed gently against her lips. He shook his head slowly, his eyes fixed to hers once more. When he was certain that she would not speak, he dropped his hand and then lifted hers to his lips. Still gazing into her eyes, he pressed his warm, soft lips to the back of her hand. Her breath caught again and then sped up. She shifted subtly closer to him, wanting to feel his strength and heat. They stood and stared through the shadows into each others eyes for several long moments.

Then, he took her hand, wrapped it around the crook of his elbow, and led her back inside to her birthday ball and another breathtaking dance.


	55. Kiss Me

Title: Kiss Me  
Author: Raya  
Theme: OTP (Optional: To You I Bestowby Mundy)  
Genre: Romance  
Version: Manga (Post StarS / Pre Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: PG-13  
Couple: Usagi x Mamoru  
Word Count: ~2,124

Disclaimer: My one true pairing (Usagi and Mamoru) sprang complete from the mind of Takeuchi Naoko, and they still belong to her. These little chocolate simulacrums, however are mine! *hugs the chocolate protectively to her chest*

_Canon, spelling, grammar, and punctuation corrections are appreciated. So is constructive criticism and general comments. Please let me know if you see something that you like or that should be corrected. Thanks! - Raya_

Kiss Me

"Usa…" Mamoru wrapped his long arms around his girlfriend and pulled her back firmly to his chest as he tenderly said her name.

"I… I will be all right, Mamo-chan," she replied, forcing a smile even though she did not turn to face him. She knew that even if she was not crying her eyes were probably filled with the pain and fear that she felt. She could not help it. He had already been taken from her three times. There was no guarantee that it would not happen again. Even the glimpse of the future they had seen was no guarantee she had learned. And while she had learned to mask her face and control her expression, she had no control over her traitorous eyes.

"You have to go," she continued, trying to inject strength and confidence into her voice. "This is your dream. You have to chase it."

"_You_ are my dream," he said emphatically as his arms tightened. He laid his cheek between her odango and rubbed the crown of her head gently, his eyes closed. "You and ChibiUsa. You are my family. I have to do everything I can to make you safe and happy. Unfortunately, that means leaving you for a short time."

"I know," she whispered as she caressed the arms around her waist. "I do know."

They stood that way for several minutes, Usagi staring out of his balcony window towards the city, Mamoru holding her tightly. And then, he lifted his head and turned her gently. "I will be home soon," he murmured as he wiped the tears from her face. "Wait for me."

"Kiss me," she murmured back as she swayed into him. Gladly, he obliged. They kissed desperately, trying to reassure themselves that this time, it would be all right. They tugged at each other's clothes, searching for skin and heartbeats and one more memory to hold them through the long, lonely nights that were fast approaching. They exhausted themselves memorizing each line, each gasp, moan, and giggle, until they finally collapsed into a deep sleep, entwined around each other on his bed. And even then, they held each other tightly, striving to become one.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ikuko backed hurriedly into the kitchen as Usagi barreled down the hall, racing for the ringing phone. Everyone had learned to get out of the blonde's way whenever the telephone rang, especially at night.

"Hello?" Usagi asked breathlessly, hoping to hear the voice she desperately craved.

"Usako…"

"Mamo-chan," she sighed as she turned, put her back to the wall and slid down to sit on the floor.

"How are you doing?" he asked.

"Better," she answered as she twisted the phone cord around her fingers. "I got a 70 on my history test, and I somehow managed to pass the biology one."

"That's great! How about that art project? Did you come up with anything for that yet?"

"Mmm!" A smile lit Usagi's face. "I'm going to be doing body mechanics. You know, sketching people in different positions. Some of the guys from the manga club offered to be my models, and of course the girls agreed to help. Though, Rei-chan said all of her poses would have to be while she was working." Usagi scrunched her nose prettily, and then smiled as Mamoru laughed. She pushed the phone closer to her ear, trying to get as close to the sound as she could. "How about you, Mamo-chan?" she asked when his last chuckle had faded away. "How are you doing?"

"It's still a bit crazy over here," he replied as he ran a hand through his hair. Absently, he reminded himself to get it cut soon. "The course schedule isn't too bad, but the amount of homework is just as bad as they warned me it would be. I can do it, though."

"Are you getting enough sleep?" Usagi asked as a frown crossed her face. "How about food? Are you eating properly?"

He chuckled, his eyes shining at the love and concern he heard in her voice. She already sounded like a loving wife, scolding and worrying over his health. "Yes, I am taking care of myself. Sandi is making sure of that."

"San-di?" Usagi asked, confused.

"Mmm. She's one of my classmates," he replied. "She's studying to be a diet and nutrition specialist, and she has decided that I will make a challenging practice patient. She has recruited several of the others in her nutrition class to help her take care of me, my roommate, and the other guys in the house."

"I see…" Usagi said as she stared off into space in front of her. She took a deep breath and forced a cheerful, confident tone back into her voice. "That's great! If they are cooking and cleaning for you, you have more time to study."

"Yeah," Mamoru replied, distracted for a moment by thoughts of seeing his blonde angel again. He blinked as his roommate poked his head in the room and waved frantically at him. Mamoru turned to look at the clock, and then jumped up. "I have to go, Usa. Take care of yourself!"

"You, too, Mamo-chan," she replied, trying not to sound worried or disappointed. "I will talk to you tomorrow?"

"No, not tomorrow… I have a study session. But I will call you later, okay?"

"Sure, Mamo-chan. Call when you can," she replied as she untangled her fingers from the phone cord. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he said, pausing for just a moment in his scramble for his textbooks. "Later…"

"Later…" Usgai waited until she heard the click of the phone on the other end and the dead air before she slowly returned the handset to the receiver. "Sandi?" She shook her head suddenly, and pushed the doubts aside. Mamoru loved her. He would never betray her. Would he?

Several hours later, Mamoru stared down at his Physical Chemistry homework and thought of his fiancée so far away. He imagined her peaceful, sleeping face painted by the moonlight. She looked so beautiful. So innocent. So young.

As he remembered her casual reference to the boys in her manga club and her art project, he frowned. Did they think that she was interested in any of them? What if she was? After all, they were her age and had the same interests. Even worse, they were right there. He shook his head, pushing those thoughts aside. Usagi loved him. She had proved that time and again. She would never betray him. On purpose. He shook his head again and forced his attention back to his homework.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Slowly, the months dragged on. Short phone conversations were a poor replacement for Mamoru's strong arms, but Usagi busied herself with her friends and with teasing her younger brother during the day and waited each night for his call. She breathed a silent sigh of relief when Mamoru announced gleefully that Sandi was finally engaged to his roommate, Tom. She bit her lip and held to her faith in him as other names were dropped casually in conversations. Nadine, Windy, Meiling, Beth, Shreya, Nancy… Always used without an honorific of any kind, and always mentioned in a friendly tone. She reminded herself again and again that that was the normal way of speaking in America, that it did not mean anything.

Slowly, the years dragged on. Short phone conversations were a poor replacement for Usagi's heady kisses, but Mamoru buried himself in classes and homework. He took as many classes as he could handle, begrudging any time required to cook, clean, and sleep. He stared up at the moon whenever it was visible and prayed that she would wait for him just a little longer. As he listened to her talk about the cute boys that she and her friends saw in school and out shopping, he held tightly to the fact that she never talked about any one in particular for very long. He reminded himself again and again that she loved to daydream about cute men, it was just a part of her personality. It did not mean anything.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Usagi leaned on the broom that Rei had given her to use, closed her eyes, and inhaled a deep breath of the warm spring air. It always smelled better in Hikawa Shrine than anywhere else for some reason. Maybe it was because it was situated on a high hill. Or maybe it was because of the sweet smelling plants that had been planted around the shrine over the years. She took another deep breath, savoring the scent of the sakura blooming on the ancient tree in the middle of the courtyard, and then opened her eyes and looked towards the steps. Someone was coming.

Her heart leapt in her chest, pounding madly. She put a hand over it and wondered why she was so excited. "Silly," she muttered to herself as she turned back to the sweeping. "It's not him. He doesn't know I am here. Besides, he doesn't graduate for two more months yet. He won't be home until June at the earliest." She smiled brightly at the thought. Her Mamo-chan was finally coming home.

Her eyes stole to the top of the stairs again, and she saw a dark head come into view. Her heart leapt again, and she scolded herself some more as she forced herself to look back down at the petals on the path. After the person had a chance to regain their breath, she would look up and welcome them to the shrine. That was the proper thing to do as Rei had told her many times.

Suddenly, a long stemmed red rose in full bloom appeared in front of her. She froze, and then slowly looked up, her heart pounding madly. It couldn't be. Someone was playing a joke on her. He had seven weeks until graduation. Her eyes traced over a strong hand with lean fingers, and then up a black leather sleeve. It was her imagination. It had to be. That or she had had too much sun. Even after he graduated, he would have to arrange to pack all of his things to be shipped back to Japan. He would not be home until summer. Her eyes continued moving across a wide chest clad in a black tee shirt, up a strong, tanned neck. Heat stroke. That was it. She should have listened to Ami's advice and worn a hat today. It was warm and bright for mid-March. In a moment, she was going to faint at this stranger's feet. Because there was no way it could be…

Her azure eyes skimmed past the strong jaw and high cheekbones and met eyes as blue as the oceans when viewed from space, and all thought ceased. "Mamo-chan…?" she whispered.

"I'm home," he replied, his fears dissolving and his heart racing madly as he saw the radiant joy that filled her face. He barely moved the rose out of the way in time as she threw aside her broom and leapt into his arms.

"Mamo-chan!!"

"Usako…" He wrapped his arms around her, closed his eyes, and held on tight. Finally, he was where he was supposed to be again. He was home.

Slowly, he relaxed his hold and let her slide down until her feet touched the ground. He reluctantly loosened one arm and reached for her face to brush away her tears. "Is it really you?" she asked shakily as she pushed her face into his hand and reached up to trace his beloved face. "Are you really here?"

"I'm here, Usa, I'm here," he murmured reassuringly.

"Kiss me!" she commanded as she lifted her face to his. "Kiss me so I know you're real!" Gladly, he obliged.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Three months later, Mamoru danced her into a small grotto in the garden that they had rented for their wedding reception. Most of the guests had left a long time ago, but their closest friends were still there cleaning up and guarding them, ensuring that they had as much privacy as they wanted. Pulling her closer, he kissed her tenderly. "Are you about ready to go?" he asked as his bride snuggled into him. He nodded his head towards the east. "Look, the sun is coming up. We've danced the night away."

Usagi smiled slowly as she looked towards the rising sun. A thin layer of fog was beginning to rise from the fountains and stream that filled the garden, giving it a surreal, fantasy look. It was a fitting sight for a dream come true. "Pretty… Yes," she said finally as she nestled closer. "Let's go home." It was finally time to start living their dream.


End file.
